KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Senior Josh Bainbridge placed fourth individually at Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo., leading Indiana Wesleyan to a win in a loaded field, earning NAIA Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week accolades for Oct. 1.

Bainbridge was the top NAIA runner in the race, four seconds ahead of Columbia (Mo.) junior Kalieb Redda, and his fourth-place finish came from a field of 251 student-athletes from across five different association affiliations in collegiate cross country. 

The Wildcats were the top team in the 8K Open race, more than 100 points better than the next-nearest NAIA program, Park (Mo.), as the Pirates finished fifth. In all, IWU collected wins over five other NAIA programs in the field of 20 teams. The Wildcats have now won back-to-back races to start the 2025 season, also finishing in front of a field of 20 at the IWU Twilight, Sept. 5. 

Indiana Wesleyan is back on the cross country course Friday, Oct. 10, in the Ray Bullock Invitational, hosted by Taylor (Ind.), in Upland, Ind.

For more on NAIA Men’s Cross Country Runners of the Week throughout the 2025 season, visit NAIA.org.