Junior Joel Hartenberger (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia) registered his second top-ten finish in as many races in 2009, crossing the line in seventh place to lead the Valparaiso men’s cross country team as it competed Saturday at Vanderbilt’s Commodore Classic in Nashville, Tenn.

The Crusaders totaled 241 points on the day, good for tenth place among the 16 competing teams.  Lipscomb took home top team honors, registering 72 points, while Jacksonville State’s David Nilsson earned the individual title.

Hartenberger ran one of the fastest 8K races of his Crusader career, crossing the line in 26:56.57 for his seventh-place finish.  The junior was less than ten seconds outside of the top-five.  Senior David Carter (Arlington Heights, Ill./Hersey) was the second Crusader runner across the line, finishing in 56th place with a time of 28:36.56.

Sophomore Nick Fagan (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) followed close behind Carter for Valpo, recording a 62nd place finish with a time of 28:41.12.  Sophomore Blane Bowen (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) crossed the line with a career-best 8K time of 28:59.43 for an 80th place finish, while sophomore Jordan Piaskowy (Crete, Ill./Illiana Christian) rounded out the Crusader scorers, crossing the line in 29:10.60, good for 85th place.

Valparaiso returns to the course in just under two weeks, taking the short trip east along the Indiana Toll Road to compete in the Notre Dame Invitational on Friday, October 2.