The North Dakota State men's cross country team will head to Rochester, Mich., this weekend in search of a high finish at the 2012 Summit League Cross Country Championships. The 8k race will start at 10 a.m. (CT) at Katke-Cousins Golf Course.

"Conference cross country is always an epic battle," said North Dakota State head coach Don Larson. "Everyone goes through the season, and it comes down to having people on the right page at the right time. Kids have worked hard all summer and all fall, and this should prove to be another extremely competitive Summit League Cross Country Championships."

The Bison earned their highest-ever finish at the Summit League Championships last season, taking second place with 95 points. NDSU's top two finishers from 2011, however, will not be competing on Saturday. Senior Travis Fitzke has exhausted his cross country eligibility, and junior Marty Joyce is redshirting this season.

North Dakota State has been led by a pack of underclassmen this year, including sophomores Brett Kelly, Grady Anderson and Lucas DeGree, redshirt freshman Brendan Skime, and true freshman Bryon Schuldt. Junior Moses Heppner has also been a top-five finisher at every meet.

There are no seniors on the Bison roster, but that's not something terribly concerning to Larson.

"The guys have blended together quite well," noted Larson. "We're not the first and we're not the last program to have a bunch of underclassmen. We'll let the chips fall where they may."

NDSU was picked second in the preseason Summit League poll in August, finishing just behind South Dakota State. Southern Utah - last year's team champion - has left The Summit League to join the Big Sky Conference.

"The guys have definitely progressed as a whole, but you have to be able to make that next step," Larson said. "We've made solid progress, but we need to continue that line."

"Like everybody else in the league, they are excited to get to this particular point in the season and have a championship-level meet. That's why you're involved in sports - to compete at the championship level."

2011 Summit League Championships Individual Results

Place    Name                                 Time

4.         Travis Fitzke               25:13.90

14.       Marty Joyce                25:52.70

23.       Grady Anderson         26:16.50

24.       Moses Heppner           26:17.20

30.       Brett Kelly                  26:29.90

31.       Alec Espeland             26:34.60

41.       Jake Henderson           26:58.10

50.       Andrew Fillmore         27:28.40

2011 Summit League Championships Team Results

Place    Team                                Score

1.         Southern Utah             48

2.         North Dakota State       95

3.         South Dakota State     100

4.         Kansas City                 110

5.         South Dakota              116

6.         Oakland                      129

7.         IUPUI                         137

8.         Western Illinois           221

9.         Oral Roberts                244

10.       Fort Wayne                 294

NDSU Past Summit League Team Finishes

Year    Place   

2011    2

2010    3

2009    6

2008    4

2007    7