CLINTON, Miss. – Mississippi College kicked off its 2024 cross country season in commanding fashion, hosting The Opener at Choctaw Trails on Friday evening. The Choctaws secured a dominant team victory, taking five of the top six individual spots in the 5K race.

Leading the way for the Choctaws was Braedon Methvin, who claimed the top spot with a time of 15:25.10. Close behind him was Christian Balcer, who crossed the finish line in 15:30.80, securing second place. Preston Speed finished third, clocking in at 15:43.60 to round out an impressive 1-2-3 sweep for MC.

Cooper Parmer added to Mississippi College's success with a fifth-place finish in 15:45.20, while Matthew Singletary took eighth place with a time of 15:50.00. Wyatt Whipp (16:02.20) and Carson Smith (16:03.20) also posted strong showings, finishing 11th and 12th, respectively, to further bolster the Choctaws' team score.

Mississippi College finished with 17 points, well ahead of second-place ULM, which tallied 53 points. William Carey rounded out the top three teams with 75 points.

The Choctaws will look to build on their performance as the season progresses, as they hit the road on Sept. 21 at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn.