The Aurora University men's cross country found their stride and sprinted to back to back Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference titles, taking first place out of eight teams on Saturday, October 29 in West Allis, Wisconsin at Greenfield Park.

For the second consecutive year AU defeated MSOE in a close race, winning the 2016 crown by a score of 35 to 51.

Sophomore Christian Barajas followed up his 2015 NACC Freshman of the Year award by winning the overall NACC individual championship and being named the 2016 NACC Runner of the Year. Barajas had a plethora of teammates run right behind him and earn NACC All-Conference honors by finishing in the top 15. Six Spartans including Barajas, Jimmy Baeskens, Alex Duncan, Nick Shaw, Edward Chanon and Adrian Vargas earned the NACC All-Conference honor. First-Year Head Coach Nicole Farr was awarded the NACC Men's Coach of the Year award.

Top Spartan men's times and places were as follows:
Christian Barajas (1st - 27:23.24) - NACC Runner of the Year and All-Conference
Jimmy Baeskens (2nd - 27:25.17) - NACC All-Conference.
Alex Duncan (9th - 28:23.25) - NACC All-Conference.
Nick Shaw (10th - 28:25.74) - NACC All-Conference.
Edward Chanon (13th - 28:32.74) - NACC All-Conference.
Adrian Vargas (15th - 28:42.84) - NACC All-Conference.

Others runners in the top 25 were:
Luke Miller (16th - 28:46.32)
David Galvan (17th - 28:52.73)
Anthony Barrios (18th - 28:52.87)
Matthew Taves (19th - 29:04.12)
Brandon Estrada (25th - 29:33.07)

Next action for the Spartan men's cross country team comes on Thursday, November 3 when they compete in the North Central College Red-White Invite. Meet time is set for 4:00 p.m. at St. James Farm in Warrenville, Illinois.