Valparaiso University's men's cross country team saw its 2003 season come to a close with a 31st place finish at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships held on Saturday morning in Terre Haute, Ind.

The Crusaders tallied 925 points for the meet. Wisconsin won the regional title with 72 points, while Michigan also automatically qualified for the national championships with 76 points.

Freshman Christopher Orosz (Holland, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit H.S.) led the Brown and Gold with a 147th place finish. The rookie, competing in his first collegiate ten-kilometer race crossed the finish line in 147th place with a time of 33:42.6

Senior Rick Wenger (Belvidere, Ill./Belvidere H.S.) concluded his career with a personal best time of 33:59.2, placing 161st. Nate Nunnelly (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso H.S.) also concluded his career on Saturday, finishing third for the Crusaders with a time of 35:23.5. Nunnelly was 194th overall.

Jeremy Paul (Lodi, Ohio/Cloverleaf H.S.), competing in his first collegiate 10K, was fourth for Valpo with a time of 36:24.3 placing 209th overall, while freshman Adriano Schultz (Brecksville, Ohio/Brecksville-Broadview Heights H.S.) concluded the scoring with a 214th place finish in 37:08.0.