The Bellevue University men's cross country team will kick off the 2024 season under the lights on September 6 at the Augie Twilight meet in Sioux Falls. Among those on the starting line will be several transfer athletes who are expected to contribute to the best depth in program history. New transfer student-athletes include:

• Ronald Kipyegon comes from Division I Stephen F Austin in Texas and Kenya. Ronald competed for just a part of the Lumberjack's indoor season but ran 4:28 in his only mile race.
• Luis Casallas Vega arrives from Columbia after completing two years at Dodge City (KS) Community College. Luis has life bests of 1:56.02 for 800 meters and 3:57.91 at 1500.
• Jaedon Maxfield transfers from Concordia (Neb.), bringing a 5K personal best of 16:24.9 and 4:15.72 for 1500 meters.
• Jose Lara Flores spent two years at Iowa Western Community College. At IWCC, he had bests of 15:57.8 for 5,000 meters on the track and an 8K cross country personal record of 26:32.

Also starting at BU this fall will be talented freshman Xavier Mallow from Papillion-LaVista South High School. While at PLVSHS, he ran 16:15 for 5K in cross country, while on the track, he recorded bests of 1:56.68 for 800 meters and 4:23.24 at 1600 meters.

These newcomers will be joined by a solid group of returning runners led by defending NSAA cross country champion Richard Marcoux, NSAA steeplechase champion Collin Kotz, and the rapidly improving Griffin Kipchumba Kisoryo and Robbie Siford.

"This will easily be our best men's squad since we started the program in 2018," commented Head Coach Craig Christians. "It will be great to have some depth, and that will just lead us to make each other better."

The Bruins will have a five-meet schedule before traveling to Valley City, N.D., for the final NSAA Championship on November 8.