CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Add another individual title and podium finish to the ever-expanding resume for Missouri Baptist University senior Donovan Denslow. On Friday night, Denslow jumpstarted his senior season with a top-of-podium finish at the 2023 Redhawks Cross Country Invitational hosted by NCAA DI Southeast Missouri State University.
 
Averaging 4 minutes, 58 seconds per mile, Denslow crossed the finish line with a new 6K PR of 18:32.40. He finished more than seven seconds ahead of SEMO's Noah Little and nearly 30 seconds faster than the third-place finisher. This is Denslow's fourth career individual title, with the others coming at the 2022 Seminole Valley Stampede, 2021 Titan Opener, and 2020 NJCAA Division III Cross Country Championships.
 
The Spartans, who were receiving votes in the NAIA Men's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 Preseason Rating, finished fourth as a team behind SEMO (NCAA D1), SIU Edwardsville (NCAA D1), Maryville (NCAA D2).
 
Sophomore David Fletcher logged the second-fastest time for MBU, clocking in at 20:27.60, just one second off his time from last year.
 
The next wave of Spartans included Wyatt Elliott (21:19.30), freshman Grant Patten (21:39.70), Ethan Bliss (21:47.30), Charlie McCallister (21:55.40), and Josiah Heras (21:58.10). That particular group finished 33^rd, 36^th, 37^th, 38^th, and 39^th, respectively.
 
MBU will run again next week at the Cottey College Invite on Sept. 8. The trip to Nevada, Missouri, won't be the last for the Spartans as the 2023 AMC Men's Cross Country Championships will also take place at Frank E. Peters Golf Course in early November.