KENOSHA, Wis. — Colorado State University Pueblo Cross Country returned to the national spotlight this morning as both the men's and women's teams competed at the prestigious Lucian Rosa Invitational, the official NCAA Division II National Championship preview meet hosted at the Wayne E. Dannehl National Cross Country Course in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The meet provided a glimpse at the nation's best, with the ThunderWolves gaining valuable experience at the site of the 2025 national championships.
Women's Team Finishes Fifth in Loaded Field
The CSU Pueblo women, ranked No. 15 nationally after last year's historic third-place NCAA Championship finish, delivered another strong showing, placing fifth overall with 178 points. The top three spots were swept by fellow Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference powerhouses, as Colorado School of Mines, Adams State, and UCCS finished first, second, and third.
The ThuderWolves were led by junior newcomer Olivia Drodz (Orleans, France), who shined in her CSU Pueblo National stage debut. Drodz placed fourth overall in the women's 6K, clocking a time of 21:28.8 (5:46 pace), marking one of the top individual performances of the day.
Fellow French standout Camille Renou finished 23rd (22:03.8), while veteran Jayden Herron crossed in 27th (22:12.8). Another key debut came from Charlotte Young (Kent, England), who impressed in 30th place (22:16.1). The Pack's depth was rounded out by Lily Smithson, Ella Egizio, Annie Robards, and Taylor Cole, securing CSU Pueblo's top-five team finish in the competitive national preview.
Men's Side Led by Sweepe
The men's squad competed with only four athletes, not enough to register a team score, but still gained valuable championship-level experience. All-American Jon Sweepe led the charge, clocking 25:30.4 in the men's 8K.
Caden Schweer followed in 45th place (25:47.4), while 800-meter All-Americans Caleb McLeod and Tim Anstett rounded out the Pack's lineup in their transition to cross country racing.
Looking Ahead
Head Coach Matt Morris, a recent NCAA Division II Coach of the Year finalist, emphasized the value of the weekend as the ThunderWolves continue their buildup toward postseason competition. CSU Pueblo now turns its attention to hosting duties as the Pack will welcome the region to Pueblo on October 3rd for the South Central Regional Preview at Walking Stick Golf Course, the site of the 2025 NCAA South Central Regional Championships scheduled for November.
