Team Biography
The 1995 men's cross country team built upon the previous year's success to achieve even greater heights, capturing the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship and matching the program's best-ever finish with a third-place showing at the NCAA Division II National Championships. This accomplishment solidified the Bulldogs' status as one of the premier Division II cross country programs in the nation.
Under Head Coach Ed Schneider, the Bulldogs demonstrated remarkable consistency throughout the season. At the MIAA Championships, the team finished second with 41 points behind Central Missouri, placing three runners in the top 10 to earn All-Conference honors: Thad Bartram (5th, 25:05), Jason Golonka (6th, 25:15), and Christian Blackburn (7th, 25:16). The team's dedication to academic excellence was exceptional, with five athletes earning MIAA Academic All-Conference recognition: Mike Johnson, Sean Massa, Jeremy Struttmann, Jason Golonka, and Scott Poston.
The Bulldogs' defining achievement came at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships, where they claimed the regional title with 53 points. Four runners finished in the top 12 to pace the championship effort: Bartram (3rd, 31:44, 5:06 pace), Blackburn (10th, 32:13, 5:11 pace), Mark Miller (11th, 32:16, 5:11 pace), and Golonka (12th, 32:22, 5:12 pace).
At the NCAA Division II National Championships in Riverside, California, the Bulldogs matched the previous year's third-place finish with an improved team score of 128 points. The 1995 squad produced five All-Americans, all finishing in the top 40: Christian Blackburn (14th, 31:33.39), Jeremy Struttmann (20th, 31:50.52), Mark Miller (28th, 32:08.48), Thad Bartram (29th, 32:10.13), and Jason Golonka (37th, 32:23.47).
The back-to-back podium finishes at the national championships in 1994 and 1995 established a legacy of excellence that remains unmatched in program history.
Team Roster
|
RSVP List |
| Gary Adams |
Yes |
| Thad Bartram |
Yes |
| John Baughman |
|
| Christian Blackburn |
Yes |
| Carl Doyle |
Yes |
| Jason Golonka |
|
| John Hoefer |
|
| Michael Hronick |
|
| Michael Johnson |
Yes |
| Jacob Kaemmer |
Yes |
| Kirk Marsh |
|
| Sean Massa |
|
| Craig Maxwell |
Yes |
| Dan McGuigan |
|
| Mark Miller |
Yes |
| Jeff Obert |
Yes |
| Nathaniel Peters |
Yes |
| Scott Poston |
|
| Jeremy Struttmann |
Yes |
| Kurt Swanson |
|
Head Coach: Ed Schneider
Â
1995 Season Results
| Date |
Meet |
Finish |
Top Finisher |
| Sep. 8 |
Bradley Open |
7th of 18 teams |
Thad Bartram, 10th place |
| Sep. 16 |
Jayhawk Invitational |
5th of 7 teams |
Thad Bartram, 10th place |
| Sep. 23 |
Missouri Sport Shake Challenge |
2nd of 4 teams |
Thad Bartram, 2nd place |
| Oct. 6 |
Notre Dame Invitational |
10th of 27 teams |
Thad Bartram, 5th place |
| Oct. 21 |
MIAA Championships |
2nd of 7 teams |
Thad Bartram, 5th place |
| Nov. 4 |
Great Lakes Regional Championships |
1st of 20 teams |
Thad Bartram, 3rd place |
| Nov. 18 |
NCAA D2 National Championships |
3rd of 17 teams |
Christian Blackburn, 14th place |
Honors and Awards
All-Americans:
- Christian Blackburn (14th place, Nationals)
- Jeremy Struttmann (20th place, Nationals)
- Mark Miller (28th place, Nationals)
- Thad Bartram (29th place, Nationals)
- Jason Golonka (37th place, Nationals)
MIAA All-Conference:
- Thad Bartram (5th place)
- Jason Golonka (6th place)
- Christian Blackburn (7th place)
MIAA Academic All-Conference:
- Mike Johnson
- Sean Massa
- Jeremy Struttmann
- Jason Golonka
- Scott Poston
Team Championships:
- NCAA Great Lakes Regional Champions
- MIAA Championships Runner-Up
