The University of Minnesota Duluth closed out the 2017 season Saturday morning by placing 25th at the NCAA Division II Cross Championships in Evansville, Ind.

The Bulldogs, who were making their first NCAA II national meet appearance in 13 years, posted a team score of 588 while Adams State University (44 points) reigned as champion at the 32-school event.

For the seventh time in seven races this fall, senior Cody Sedbrook crossed the finish line first for the Bulldogs, completing the 10,000-meter Angel Mounds course in 33:14.9 -- good for 123rd place among 249 runners. He was followed by junior Issac Overmyer (130th place; 33:23.6), senior Blake Anderson (144th place; 33:34.8), junior Luke Lahr (145th place; 33:35.7), senior Grant Pulver (152nd place; 33:47.3), who one night earlier received the NCAA Elite 90 award (academic excellence) for NCAA II men's cross country, senior Henry Jessen (196th place; 34:22.9) and junior Adam Armbruster (225th place; 34:59.1).

The meet marked the collegiate cross country farewells for Sedbrook, Anderson, Pulver and Jessen. 

"We had a goal of finishing in the Top 25 and we accomplished that," said UMD head coach Paul Nisius. "We were patient and went out slow -- and found ourselves in the back of the pack in the early going before making our move. There was only a 29-runner spread between our five point producers.

"All in all, it was a great experience for the guys to have competed in a national championship."

2017 NCAA II Cross Country Championship results