Cross Country to Open Season Under Lights at RSU Distance After Dark

OKLAHOMA CITY – Entering its third year as a program, the MACU Cross Country teams will officially open the 2025 season with its first night race as the Evangels will be competing at the Rogers State Distance After Dark meet at the Mohawk Sports Complex in Tulsa, Okla. on Thursday night. The women's 5000-meter race is slated for a 10 p.m. start while the men's four-mile event is slated to begin at 10:30 p.m.

WOMEN'S PREVIEW

Last Event: NCCAA National Championships – Nov. 15, 2024 – Warsaw, Ind.
Team Results: No Team Score
Top Finisher: Gracie Sanders – 3^rd – 18:58.0
Top Returners:
- None
Top Newcomers:
- Jessie Foster-Anderson – FR – Alma-Velma HS
- Ashlyn Vasquez – JR – SE Oklahoma State
- Kaylee Campbell – JR – Oklahoma City
Meet Notes:
- The MACU Women's Cross Country team will have almost a completely new look to the program as the Evangels return just one runner in Ivy Moffat, who will be redshirting for the 2025 campaign.
- The Evangels added a pair of incoming transfers that are expecting to make an immediate impact in Ashlyn Vasquez and Kaylee Campbell. Competing with NCAA D-II Southeastern Oklahoma State, Vasquez will be running her first cross country season since 2023 when she put up some strong results for the Savage Storm, posting a 5k best of 20:43.6 at the Great American Conference Championships in Russellville, Ark. on Oct. 21.
- After sitting out a season as well, Campbell is also prepared to post some strong results for the Evangels after last competing for MACU's SAC rival Oklahoma City in 2023. Campbell posted a 5k career best at the DBU Old Glory Gallop on Oct. 7, 2023 when she crossed the finish line in 21:12.4 and also put together a very respectable 22^nd place finish in the SAC Championship on Nov. 4 with a 6k time of 25:42.0.
- One of two twin sisters that headline MACU's freshmen, Jessie Foster-Anderson was an incredible All-State performer at Velma-Alma High School, where she posted a fourth-place finish in the 2024 1A State Championship, completing the 3200-meter race with a personal best time of 12:50.0.
- The Evangels will get the opportunity to test themselves against two of the best teams in the SAC as Oklahoma City and John Brown will also be competing in the meet.

MEN'S PREVIEW

Last Event: NAIA National Championships – Nov. 22, 2025 – Columbia, Mo.
Team Result: No Team Score
Best Finisher: Jaden Rodriguez – 154^th – 25:31.8
Top Returners:
- Jaden Rodriguez – SO
- Aidan Collins – SO
- Alexander Pebeahsy – SO
Top Newcomers:
- Mohamed Zairi – SO – Salt Lake CC (Utah)
- Lucky Maila – JR – Fort Hays Northwest (Kan.)
- Canaan Motley – FR – Hollis HS
Team Notes:
- On the men's side, the Evangels bring back a wellspring of experience after running many freshmen last year, as 12 runners make their return. Sophomore Jaden Rodriguez headlines the returners after completing a year where he became the program's first All-SAC honoree and NCCAA All-American while also holding the distinction of being MACU's first NAIA National Championship qualifier.
- In 2024, Rodriguez captured every distance record in MACU's record book, becoming the only runner to run a sub 17-minute time in the 5000-meter with a time of 16:15.5 at the SNU Invitational. He also was the only one to finish in under 20 minutes in the 6k, posting a time of 19:51.3 at the MSU Mustang Derby. Rodriguez also impressively owns the four fastest 8000-meter times in the books with three of those marks coming in the SAC, NCCAA, and NAIA Championship events while his personal best of 25:16.0 was set in the SAC Championships to place eighth.
- Sophomores Aidan Collins, Alexander Pebeahsy, Connor Gerth, Cameron Pearson, and Collin Seely also put up excellent marks in their inaugural campaigns. Collins, Pearson, and Gerth own the program's second, fourth, and fifth-fastest 6000-meter times in MACU's record book as well as the second, third, and fifth 5k times.
- Transferring in last year to compete during the track season, sophomore Mohamed Zairi will be making his cross country debut for the Evangels after being one of the top runners for MACU in the spring, earning All-SAC and NCCAA All-America honors in the 800-meter.
- Lucky Maila is a JUCO transfer from Fort Hays Northwest College who put up some incredible times at his previous school, including running an 8k time of 25:00.9 to place 38^th at the NJCAA Division I National Championships on Nov. 9.
- Despite bringing back a ton of experience, there will be nine incoming freshmen competing for the Evangels in 2025, headlined by Hollis High School standout Canaan Motley. Motley owns the 2-Mile record at Hollis and was the 1600-meter state champion on the track side. Motley narrowly missed being the 2A State Champion, finishing second with a time of 16:47.8 in the 5000-meter event.
- Mid-America Christian will get to test their mettle against a pair of top tier teams from the SAC as Oklahoma City and John Brown will also be competing in the event.