By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
ETTRICK, Wis. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota cross country teams had one final tune-up before the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships — and the Cardinals made the most of it.
 
The Cardinal women — led by Danielle Franke (Mounds View, Minn.) — posted a 19^th-place team finish at Saturday's UW-La Crosse Tori Neubauer Invitational, while the Saint Mary's men — behind the efforts of Isaiah Olsem (Fulda, Minn.) and Jordan Malikowski (Royalton, Minn.) — finished 17th UW-L Jim Drews Invitational.
 
Franke toured the six-kilometer course in 24:32 to pace the Saint Mary's women, with Anna Marinc (Carol Stream, Ill.) close behind in 25:31. Erika Thiel (Burr Ridge, Ill.) added a time of 27:23, followed by Emily Ortiz (Albert Lea, Minn. / 27:31),  Emma Ririe (Darien, Ill. / 27:31),  Tabby Fabin (Elk Grove Village, Ill. / 27:31), and Julia VanWatermeulen (Ellsworth, Wis. / 28:27).
 
For the third straight meet, Olsem was the top finisher for the Cardinal men, clocking an eight-kilometer time of 27:39, with Malikowski close behind in 28:00. Tanner Moris (Crandon, Wis.) added a 28:59, followed by Jonathon Meaden (Rosemount, Minn. / 29:12), Ben Borash (Bowlus, Minn. / 30:26), Tyler Northey (Esko, Minn. / 30:59), Teddy Sweet (River Falls, Minn. / 33:56), and Marlon Barrett-Dwyer (Chicago, Ill. / 34:52).
 
Iowa Central Community College took home the women's team title with 42 points, followed by Augustana (S.D.) (57), UW-La Crosse ( (86), Nebraska Wesleyan (108), and UW-River Falls (187).
 
Hannah Beilke of UW-La Crosse won the women's individual title, posting a time of 21:41, to edge Iowa Central's Winrose Chesang (22:02) and Lilian Busienei (22:03). UW-L's Sadie Kroll finished fourth (22:09) and Iowa Central's Abeba Sullivan rounded out the top five with a time of 22:21.
 
Iowa Central completed its sweep of the team title, winning the men's event with 49 points. Augustana (S.D.) was second (57), followed by UW-La Crosse (73), St. Olaf (104), and Paradise Valley (169)
 
Iowa Central's Ezekiel Kipchirchir won the men's 8K individual title, breaking the tape in 24:56 to edge out UW-La Crosse's Thomas Schultz, who was second in 24:58. Bashir Aidrus of Southwest Minnesota State was third (25:14), with Nebraska Wesleyan's Andy Vaszuez (25:14) and Aaron Runge of Augustana (25:14), rounding out the top five
 
The Cardinals are back in action on Oct. 27, when they head to Northfield, Minn., to take part in the MIAC Championships, hosted by St.Olaf.