The Aurora University Spartan men's cross country team opened the 2014 season by competing in the Elmhurst Early Bird Invitational on Friday, August 29, 2014 in Elmhurst, Illinois. The Spartan men finished fourth out of 15 teams.
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Sophomore Matt Meyers was the top AU finisher in 27th place with a time of 20:22. Close behind Meyers, only a thousandth of a second behind, was freshman TJ Pitcock (28th- 20:22). Also finishing in the top 5 of the Spartan pack were sophomore Jimmy Baeskens (31st- 20:37), senior Nick Cole (35th – 20:46), and junior Calvin Robinson (37th- 20:57).
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Joining the top Spartan men in the meet were sophomore Alex Duncan (41st- 21:05), sophomore Ryan Fromm (48th- 21:24), sophomore Luke Miller (50th- 21:29), sophomore Nick Shaw (51st- 21:33), sophomore Ben Ervin (55th- 21:38), freshman Jesus Quiroz (58th- 21:39), senior Brandon Miller (60th- 21:42),  sophomore DJ Wolfram (62nd- 21:46), freshman Anthony Barrios (65th- 21:58), senior Roberto Gonzalez (68th- 22:04), senior Matt Swanson (71st-22:09), sophomore Dan Morgan (81st- 22:30), senior Doug Belling (82nd- 22:31), sophomore Ricky Perkins (101st – 23:27), freshman Bruce McCaffrey (102nd -23:30), sophomore Cody McDougall (109th- 23:47), freshman Dylan Schatz (115th – 24:11), freshman Aaron Lehman (127th – 24:54) and sophomore John Reyes (147th -27:11).
Next action for the Spartan women's cross country team comes on Friday, September 5 when they host the AU Spartan Cross Country Classic. Meet time is set for 5:00 p.m. at the Oakhurst Forest Preserve in Aurora, Ill.