By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — It may have been their first meet of the season, but the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota cross country teams looked to be in mid-season form Saturday afternoon at the Saint Mary's Alumni Open.
 
And Isaiah Olsem (Fulda, Minn.) and Danielle Franke (Mounds View, Minn.) were leading the mid-season charge.
 
Olsem placed fifth overall in leading the Cardinal men to a second-place team finish, while Franke was the first SMU woman across the line — seventh overall — in fueling a third-place team showing.
 
Luther won the men's race with 18 points, followed by Saint Mary's (53), Upper Iowa (89) and the Saint Mary's Alumni (92). Luther completed the team sweep by winning the women's event with 26 points, while Upper Iowa was second (43), Saint Mary's was third (71) and the SMU Alumni was fourth (98).
 
Olsem toured the four-mile course in 22:21 to pace the Cardinal men, with Tanner Moris (Crandon, Minn.) and Jordan Malikowski (Royalton, Minn.) close behind, posting times of 22:39 and 22:41, respectively. Axel Daood (St. Charles, Minn.) finished his first collegiate race in 23:03, followed by Jon Meaden (Rosemount, Minn. / 23:07), and Caedon McCartney (Owatonna, Minn. / 23:31.
 
Franke recorded a five-kilometer time of 21:43 to lead the Cardinal women's charge, with Anna Marinc (Carol Stream, Ill.) adding a 22:27 and Anna Swanson (Osceola, Wis.) finishing in 23:04. Madalyn Bollig (St. Croix Falls, Wis. / 25:21), Julia VanWatermeulen (Ellsworth, Wis. / 25:51), Emma Ririe (Darien, Ill. / 26:23), Amelia Sweet (Prescott, Wis. / 26:49), and Rachel Simon (Foley, Minn. / 29:16) rounded out the Cardinal lineup.
 
The Cardinals are back in action on Sept. 20-21, with a portion of the squad heading to South Bend, Ind., to take part in the National Catholic Invitational, while the rest of the teams will head to Northfield, Minn., to compete in Carleton's Running of the Cows.