Team Biography
The 1994 men's cross country team, competing as the Northeast Missouri State Bulldogs, achieved the highest finish in program history by placing third at the NCAA Division II National Championships. This historic accomplishment marked a breakthrough season that established the foundation for sustained excellence in Bulldog cross country.
Under the guidance of Head Coach Ed Schneider, who earned MIAA Coach of the Year honors, the Bulldogs captured the MIAA Team Championship with 51 points. The conference title was powered by three top-10 finishers who earned All-Conference recognition: Thad Bartram (5th, 26:27), Jeremy Struttmann (8th, 26:57), and Jason Golonka (10th, 27:02). The team's commitment to academic excellence was also evident as Struttmann and Golonka earned MIAA Academic All-Conference honors.
The Bulldogs continued their impressive performance at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships, securing third place with 95 points to advance to nationals. Three runners finished in the top 20: Bartram (7th, 33:30, 5:23 pace), Struttmann (13th, 34:01, 5:28 pace), and Mark Miller (19th, 34:16, 5:31 pace).
At the NCAA Division II National Championships in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, the Bulldogs claimed third place with 195 points, finishing behind champion Adams State (55 points) and runner-up Western State (73 points). The team produced two All-Americans: Bartram (24th, 32:18) and Struttmann (38th, 32:50).
Throughout the season, the 1994 squad demonstrated consistency and competitiveness, winning the Division II title at the Kansas Jayhawk Invitational, placing second at both the Missouri Sport Shake Challenge and the prestigious Notre Dame Invitational, and finishing fourth at the Missouri Southern Stampede.
Team Roster
|
RSVP List |
| Thad Bartram |
|
| Christian Blackburn |
Yes |
| Jon Bruno |
|
| Carl Doyle |
Yes |
| Jason Golonka |
|
| John Hoefer |
|
| Michael Hronick |
|
| Michael Johnson |
Yes |
| Joel Maisenhelder |
|
| Craig Maxwell |
Yes |
| Mark Miller |
Yes |
| Jeff Obert |
Yes |
| Nathan Peters |
Yes |
| Scott Poston |
|
| Jason Schiek |
|
| Jeremy Struttmann |
Yes |
Head Coach: Ed Schneider (MIAA Coach of the Year)
1994 Season Results
| Date |
Meet |
Finish |
Top Finisher |
| Sep. 10 |
Kansas Jayhawk Invitational |
1st of 6 teams |
Jason Golonka, 6th place |
| Sep. 17 |
Missouri Southern Stampede |
4th of 10 teams |
Jason Golonka, 16th place |
| Sep. 24 |
Missouri Sport Shake Challenge |
2nd of 7 teams |
Jason Golonka, 8th place |
| Oct. 7 |
Notre Dame Invitational |
2nd of 30 teams |
Thad Bartram, 6th place |
| Oct. 22 |
MIAA Conference Championships |
1st of 7 teams |
Thad Bartram, 5th place |
| Nov. 5 |
Great Lakes NCAA Regional Championships |
3rd of 21 teams |
Thad Bartram, 7th place |
| Nov. 19 |
NCAA D2 National Championships |
3rd of 17 teams |
Thad Bartram, 24th place |
Honors and Awards
All-Americans:
- Thad Bartram (24th place, Nationals)
- Jeremy Struttmann (38th place, Nationals)
MIAA All-Conference:
- Thad Bartram (5th place)
- Jeremy Struttmann (8th place)
- Jason Golonka (10th place)
MIAA Academic All-Conference:
- Jeremy Struttmann
- Jason Golonka
Coaching Honor:
- Ed Schneider, MIAA Coach of the Year
