2025 NCAC Men's Cross Country Champions
GAMBIER, OH – John Carroll captured the 2025 North Coast Athletic Conference Men’s Cross Country Championship on Saturday, Nov. 1, in Gambier, Ohio. The Blue Streaks finished with 24 points to claim their first NCAC championship crown.
Kenyon finished runner-up with 62 points, followed by Oberlin in third with 73 points. Wabash placed fourth (122), while DePauw (127) was fifth, Denison (140) was sixth, Wooster (208) was seventh, Wittenberg (223) was eighth and Ohio Wesleyan (262) was ninth.
John Carroll junior Nate Julien (Akron, OH/Firestone) earned the 2025 NCAC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year honor after pacing a dominant Blue Streaks contingent. Julien crossed the line in 25:20.3 just ahead of sophomore teammate Sam Su (Akron, OH/Woodridge), who took second in 25:21.7, and classmate Ian Paul (Massillon, OH/Canton Central Catholic), who finished third in 25:23.8, as John Carroll swept the top three spots in the race.
Wittenberg senior Lucas Eisele (Dayton, OH/West Carrollton) improved on his 13th-place finish from last season, taking fourth in 25:40.5, his highest career conference finish. Kenyon senior Joshua Breard (Cranston, RI/Bishop Hendricken) placed fifth in a time of 25:43.6 to lead the Owls, while Wabash senior Haiden Diemer-McKinney (Brownsburg, IN/Brownsburg) crossed in sixth in 25:45.4 earning his first All-NCAC first-team recognition after collecting third-team accolades in both 2023 and 2024. Rounding out the top seven was John Carroll first-year Charles Payne (Lakewood, OH/Lakewood), who earned the 2025 NCAC Newcomer of the Year award and All-NCAC first-team honors in his collegiate championship debut, finishing in 25:46.2.
John Carroll also claimed the 2025 Coaching Staff of the Year honors, the first NCAC coaching award in program history. The Blue Streaks are led by Head Coach Steve Fuelling, Director of Cross Country Daniel Tutskey, Assistant Coach Jamie Dailey and Volunteer Assistant Bryce Basista.