GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The NAIA #24 Yellow Jackets put forth their strongest showing of the season with an impressive 4th-place finish at the NAIA Great Lakes Invitational.

NAIA #2 Shawnee State won the 28-team race with 45 points while host and #7 Aquinas was next with 89. Saint Francis (Ill.), who was receiving votes in the national poll, had 106 points with the Yellow Jackets right behind at 108.

Matt Brooker finished 6th out of 313 runners with a time of 24:56 for the 8,000 meters. Evan Thayer was 11th in 25:05 and Joseph Cathey had his finest day as a Yellow Jacket placing 21st in 25:44.

Chris Vaughn crossed the finish line 34th in 25:50, Josiah Bragg was 36th in 25:51, and Jordan Davies was 38th in 25:53. Completing the top seven was Josh Wiseman placing 55th in 26:11.

CU's team time consisting of the top five finishers was a season-best 2:07:13. The finish was actually 11 seconds faster overall than Saint Francis.

RESULTS