In its final tune-up for the Horizon League Cross Country Championships, the Valparaiso men's cross country team finished in sixth place Saturday at the Evansville Invitational in Evansville, Ind.

The Crusaders tallied 195 points on Saturday for their sixth place finish out of 13 competing squads.  Marshall earned the team title with 33 points, while the Thundering Herd's Matt Schiffbauer took home individual top honors.

Senior Joel Hartenberger (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia) paced the Valpo contingent Saturday, finishing in 25th place with a time of 26:13.23 over the 8K course.  Junior Jordan Piaskowy (Crete, Ill./Illiana Christian) was the next Crusader across the line, placing 41st with a time of 26:34.36, while redshirt sophomore Patrick Johnson (Oil City, Pa./Cranberry [Monmouth]) finished right behind Piaskowy, crossing the line in 26:37.76.

Junior Nick Fagan (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) was the fourth-fastest Crusader on Saturday, covering the course in 27:04.81, good for 54th place.  Sophomore Wally Bradford (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago) rounded out the Valpo scoring runners, crossing the line in 67th place with a time of 27:19.84.

Valparaiso now begins preparations for the 2010 Horizon League Cross Country Championships, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 30 in Chicago, Ill., hosted by Loyola.