The Millikin men's and women's cross country teams opened the 2025 season with a dominant performance at the H.W. Wright Classic on August 29 at the old Scovill Golf Course in Decatur, Illinois.
 
The Big Blue men's squad captured the team title with a score of 15 points, placing runners in the top five overall. Sophomore Reece Peters paced Millikin with a winning time of 19:53.6 on the 6K course. He was followed closely by Brock Richards in second (20:52.4), Joey McGinn in third (20:52.5), Josh Holloway in fourth (20:56.0), and senior Emerson Thorlton in fifth (21:00.8).
 
On the women's side, Millikin secured first place with 19 points, topping Mineral Area College. Sophomore Brooklynn Sweikar claimed the individual title in the 4K race, crossing in 15:25.4. Freshman Brynn Behrmann earned runner-up honors at 16:14.0, with Teyla Wendt taking third (16:39.9). Rounding out Millikin's scoring were freshmen Lindsey Klaus in sixth (17:05.3) and Emma Mathews in seventh (17:15.7).
 
The victories mark a strong start for both programs as they set the tone for the 2025 season.
 
Millikin will return to action next weekend at the Prairie Star Invitational in Springfield, IL on Friday, September 5.