ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — The Saint Mary's University cross country teams have competed as part of some rather large fields through its first three events of the 2023 season.
 
But nothing compared to what the Cardinals were a part of Saturday afternoon.
 
More than 40 men's and women's teams toed the starting line at the third annual Augustana Inter-Regional, and the Cardinals — competing in its final event before the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships on Oct. 28 — made the most of their opportunities as the little fish in a big pond.
 
Virtually every runner on the men's side posted a season-best effort in their final MIAC tune-up, while the Cardinal women also delivered a team full of season-best performers in the fields of more than 450 runners.
 
Grant Schneider (Moorhead, Minn.) led the way for the SMU men, breaking the tape in an 8K time of 26:46, with Delorean Peterson (Blaire, Wis.) posted a career-best time of 27:08 to be the second Cardinal across the finish line. Sean Smyth (Pinehurst, N.C.) and Gabe Schonknecht (Chicago, Ill;.) chipped in career-best times of 27:41 and 27:47, respectively, with Sam Morris (Hockinson, Wash. / 28:15), Isaiah Fitzgerald (Rochester, Minn. / 28:51), Evan Finney (West End, N.C. / 31:14), and Cade Kloss (Apple Valley, Minn. / 31:57) rounding out the Saint Mary's lineup.
 
Kendra Klobe (Glencoe, Minn.) led the way for the SMU women, racing to a career-best 6K time of 25:25f, followed closely by Caeli McMahon (Holmen, Wis.) and Rheanna Hopkins (Bruce, Wis.) with times of 25:57 and 25:59, respectively. Abbie Meyer (Sauk Centre, Minn. / 27:26), and Megan Frosch (Oconomowoc, Wis. / 28:45) rounded out the Cardinals' lineup.
 
The Cardinals are now off until Oct. 28, when they head to Northfield, Minn., to take part in the MIAC Championships, hosted by Carleton College.