COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo men's and women's cross country teams turned in impressive performances at the 2026 Colorado Springs XC Open, hosted by the University of Colorado Colorado Springs at Monument Valley Park, as the ThunderWolves women's squad captured the team championship with 53 points, while the men's team finished runner-up with 44 points.

The Pack combined for 11 top-25 individual finishes between the two programs, including an individual title from Jon Sweepe, who led a dominant showing at the front of the men's 8,000-meter race.

Both squads showcased their depth throughout their respective lineups, with the women's team placing five runners inside the top 25, while the men's team saw six runners finish among the top 25, including three inside the top six.

Women's 6,000 Meters

The ThunderWolves women's team put together an outstanding collective performance, placing all five scoring runners inside the top 25 en route to capturing the team championship with 53 points.

Leading the charge for the Pack was Charlotte Young, who crossed the finish line in fifth place overall with a time of 21:59.1. Young was the lone ThunderWolf to break the 22-minute barrier in the women's 6,000-meter race.

Joining Young inside the top 10 was Harriet Tuson, who turned in a strong performance of her own, placing 10th overall with a time of 22:16.2.

Alyssa Kulesa continued the Pack's impressive showing at the front of the field, finishing 14th overall after clocking a time of 22:22.9. Lily Smithson followed closely behind, placing 16th with a time of 22:28.5, giving CSU Pueblo four runners among the top 16 finishers.

Rounding out the scoring five for the ThunderWolves was Ella Egizio, who crossed the finish line in 24th place with a time of 22:43.8.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Pack's championship-winning performance was its depth, as CSU Pueblo's five scoring runners finished within just 44.7 seconds of one another.

Sofia Camacho was the next ThunderWolf across the line, placing 48th with a time of 23:37.4, while Lilia Flo finished 71st in 24:56.1.

Annie Roberds (80th, 25:39.8), Viktoriia Novgorodtsev (81st, 26:20.6) and Nerys Tullett (83rd, 27:40.3) rounded out the Pack's women's competitors.

Men's 8,000 Meters

On the men's side, the ThunderWolves delivered an equally impressive performance, finishing runner-up in the team standings with 44 points behind a commanding showing from their front-running trio.

Leading the way was Jon Sweepe, who captured the individual championship after covering the 8,000-meter course in 24:52.3. Sweepe was the lone runner in the field to break the 25-minute mark, securing the top spot on the individual podium.

Finishing just behind Sweepe was teammate Caden Schweer, who claimed runner-up honors with a time of 25:04.0, giving CSU Pueblo a sweep of the top two individual positions.

Ricky Diaz added another outstanding performance for the Pack, crossing the finish line in sixth place overall with a time of 25:12.7. Diaz's finish gave the ThunderWolves three runners among the top six competitors in the men's race.

Kameron Eustace continued the strong showing for CSU Pueblo, placing 16th overall with a time of 25:32.6, while Tim Anstett rounded out the scoring five with a 23rd-place finish in 25:41.1.

The ThunderWolves displayed tremendous depth throughout their lineup, with their top five runners separated by just 48.8 seconds.

Caleb McLeod was the sixth Pack runner across the finish line, placing 36th overall with a time of 26:01.0.

Nick Hogge (71st, 27:04.9), Luke Ware (76th, 27:11.1), Aaron Roberds (81st, 27:21.6), Brock Wilhjelm (90th, 27:39.5), Sayer Vargues (95th, 27:52.3) and Gavin Carlson (118th, 29:10.2) completed the men's lineup.

Looking Ahead

The ThunderWolves will now turn their attention to the postseason as both the men's and women's teams prepare for the 2026 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Cross Country Championships, scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, in Rapid City, S.D.

The Pack will look to carry the momentum from its strong performances at the Colorado Springs XC Open into the conference championships, with the women's squad coming off a team title and the men's team fresh off a runner-up finish.

Both programs will look to make their mark at the conference championships as they continue their push toward NCAA postseason competition.