The Shippensburg University men's cross country team posted its second Top 10 national finish in the last three years on Saturday, placing 10th at the 2017 NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championships hosted by the University of Southern Indiana behind an All-America finish by senior Alex Balla.
 
The Raiders, ranked No. 17 nationally entering the meet, got a 37th-place finish from Balla and three scorers among the Top 80 overall finishers. SU achieved its ninth Top 10 finish in school history, and its first since placing fifth in 2015.
 
Additionally, all seven Raiders posted their best place-finish to date at the NCAA Championships.
 
Balla became the 13th different All-American in an SU uniform, navigating the course at the Angel Mounds in Evansville in 31:50 for a 37th-place finish. He was consistently among the Top 50 runners through all 10 of the checkpoints on Saturday. His previous best performance at nationals was a 52nd-place run in 2015.
 
Senior Calvin Conrad-Kline finished 59th overall in 32:19. He served as the No. 2 runner after serving as the team's No. 5 runner in each of the last two NCAA Championships races. On Saturday, Conrad-Kline had an exceptional close to his race – improving 13 places over the final 1,000 meters to crack the Top 60.
 
Junior Dominic Stroh was the No. 3 runner, placing 78th in 32:20. Stroh, like Conrad-Kline, also put forth an excellent surge over his final 1,000 meters, improving 14 places over that stretch to the finish line.
 
Sophomore Rob Moser clocked in at 33:10, while junior Sean Weidner was just seven places behind as the final Raider scorer.
 
Senior Harrison Schettler and sophomore Connor Holm rounded out the Raider contingent. Schettler, one of three SU seniors competing in their final cross country race, improved 49 places from his previous NCAA Championships run in 2013. Holm made his NCAA Championships debut.   
 
Shippensburg made its seventh NCAA National Championships appearance in the last eight years under head coach Steve Spence on Saturday, and the 20th NCAA National Championships appearance in school history.
 
Shippensburg (10th, 351 points)
37. Alex Balla 31:50.4
59. Calvin Conrad-Kline 32:19.1
78. Dominic Stroh 32:30.5
119. Rob Moser 33:10.4
126. Sean Weidner 33:21.9
134. Harrison Schettler 33:25.9
207. Connor Holm 34:36.8
 
SHIP at NCAA XC Championships:
2017: 10th
2016: 16th
2015: 5th
2014: 25th
2013: 23rd
2011: 17th
2010: 7th
2009: 13th
2005: 15th
2002: 20th
2001: 18th
2000: 19th
1998: 8th
1992: 15th
1991: T-4th
1990: 2nd
1989: 7th
1980: 9th
1979: 8th
1978: 17th 
 
All-Americans at NCAA XC Championships:
2017: Alex Balla (37th)
2016: Kieran Sutton (25th)
2015: Austin McGinley (32nd)
2012: Matt Gillette (17th)
2010: Brandon Boyer (38th)
2005: John Somers (21st)
1991: Randy Lowe (5th)
1990: Randy Lowe (3rd)
1989: Chris Monheim (23rd)
1984: Steve Spence (15th)
1984: Rob Berkebile (17th)
1982: Steve Spence (13th)
1980: Gregg Sanders (6th)
1980: Gary Bicking (8th)
1979: Gregg Sanders (9th)
1978: John Doub (6th)
1977: John Doub (23rd)