KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A pair of Montana Tech's men's cross country runners were invited to join the NAIA national championship field, the national office announced Tuesday afternoon during its selection show on NAIA.org. 

Graduate student Justin Morgan and senior Ben Zerr earned berths into the national field. The duo will represent the Orediggers at the national meet Friday, November 21. 

Morgan, a Thompson Falls native, landed his third-career berth into the national meet. He became Montana Tech's first-ever Frontier Conference champion in men's cross country, winning the 8-kilometer race Friday in Billings in a time of 24:47.8. Morgan was an All-American at NAIA nationals in 2023, finishing 33rd. 

Zerr, of Kailua, Hawaii, garnered his second invitation to the national meet after finishing ninth at the conference meet last week. The senior took 175th at last year's race. 

The pair will head to Tallahassee, Fla., for the Friday, November 21 running of the championship race at Apalachee Regional Park. 

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