ST. JOSEPH, Minn. With three strong meets already behind them, the College of Saint Benedict cross country team is heading west to Oregon this weekend, eager to test themselves one more time before the postseason begins.

On Saturday, Oct. 18, the Bennies will line up at the George Oja Invitational in Salem, Ore., for a 6,000-meter race hosted at the scenic Oak Knoll Golf Course (live scoring) at 12 p.m. (CST). The meet serves as both a valuable tune-up and a chance to solidify their championship form ahead of the MIAC Championships, which take place just two weeks later on Saturday, Nov. 1, at Highlands Golf Course in St. Paul.

Fast Start Fuels Confidence
The Bennies opened their campaign with a statement win at the Toni St. Pierre Invitational on Sept. 5, where they claimed the team title behind a tightly packed top seven effort. At the River Oaks Golf Course, Saint Ben's scored 41 points to edge out UW-Stout (53) and Northwestern-St. Paul (62).

Leading the charge was senior Mary Kenney, whose second-place finish in 19:06.9 not only set a personal best but also tied her for 17th on CSB's all-time 5K list. Her standout effort earned her The House/St. Cloud Orthopedics CSB Athlete of the Week honors.

First-year Daphne Grobstein made an immediate impact, finishing fifth overall in 19:22.2, an impressive collegiate debut that already placed her tied for 32nd in program history. Sophomore Julia Babineau rounded out the lead trio with a 10th-place finish in 20:04.6, helping the Bennies place seven runners in the top 15 overall.

Holding Their Own Against the Region's Best
Saint Ben's followed up their win with a gritty performance at the St. Olaf Invitational, their first 6K of the season. Facing a deep field that included nationally ranked programs, the Bennies placed fifth out of 17 teams. Kenney once again paced the team, finishing 17th in 23:31.6. Grobstein continued to impress, running 23:47.2 for 33rd place — already the 47th-fastest 6K in school history. Juniors Abby Bufkin and Julia Babineau finished within seconds of each other in 61st and 70th, while sophomore Mollie Ping rounded out the scoring five with a personal-best 24:44.6. The team totaled 163 points, holding strong in a field that included MIAC rival Carleton (1st place), as well as regional powerhouses UW-La Crosse and UW-Eau Claire.

Kenney leads way at Blugold Invite
In a field of 36 teams and 337 runners, Saint Ben's placed 22nd overall with 561 points at the Blugold Invitational in Colfax, Wis. Kenney once again led the team with a steady run, placing 41st in 23:34.9. Babineau followed with a time of 24:27.7 for 112th place, and senior Rachel Olinger ran a personal-best 24:46.6 to finish 144th overall.