SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Following an individual and team victory at the NSIC Championships, as well as a runner-up team finish, the Augustana men's and women's cross country teams travel to Joplin, Missouri, this weekend for the NCAA Central Regional Championships. 

The Vikings run Saturday morning at the Missouri Southern Cross Country Course with the women's 6k race starting at 10 a.m. and the men's 10k race following at 11:15 a.m. 

The Augustana women look to claim their fourth consecutive Central Regional title and the men attempt to win their second in three years. A season ago, the women scored 62 points, almost half the total of second place, while the men came in third. 

In all, the Vikings have five runners that ran in last year's regional that also ran in the NSIC Championships on Oct. 21. Ryan Hartman, Colten Brand, Nick Larson, Ella Bakken, and Caroline Sudbeck all return, with four of five returning after placing in the top-40 a season ago. Hartman and Brand are the two highest finishers of the group, placing eighth and 12th in the men's race, respectively. 

At the NSIC Championships, Hartman paced the Vikings with his first career NSIC Championship to help the men earn a team victory, breaking the tape in a personal-best 23:51.5. It was a statement victory for Hartman, defeating the runner-up by an incredible 38.9 seconds. He becomes the sixth different Viking to win the men's NSIC race. 

The Vikings also had the women's NSIC Newcomer of the Year in Ashley Overgaauw, who finished 13th in the women's race with a personal-best time of 21:24.10, and the NSIC Coach of the Year on the men's side in Tracy Hellman. 

The Vikings are coming into regionals with some fire, as 19 Vikings reset their personal bests at the NSIC Championships. 

Colten Brand was the highest AU finisher behind Hartman, finishing fifth with a personal-best 24:36.40. Dawson Strom followed in sixth, closing with a time of 24:41.90, good for a personal-best of his own. 

The women's pack at the NSIC Championships was led by Aubrey Surage, who finished in sixth with a personal-best 21:05.90. Right behind her was Ella Bakken, whose personal-best 21:10.30 was good for seventh. 

Behind Ashley Overgaauw was Ana McCabe, adding a PR at 21:30.90 to place 15th, just ahead of Amanda Overgaauw, who closed in at 16th in 21:32.10. Tenley Nelson rounded out the finishers in the top-20, finishing 19th with a PR 21:43.50. 

For more on the NCAA Central Regional Championship, including a look at the participant manual, course maps/info and live results, click here.