Orediggers on top
Mines’ men’s cross country team claimed the 2024 NCAA Division II title this fall, marking their fourth national championship in program history. The victory came down to a dramatic final push as the Orediggers overtook the No. 1-ranked Wingate in the last half-kilometer to win by just three points. The title joins Mines’ previous championships in 2015, 2019 and 2022, all led by head coach Chris Siemers.
Key performances secured the victory for the Orediggers, with Logan Bocovich, Loic Scomparin and Ethan Grolnic finishing together in seventh, eighth and ninth places. Scomparin’s late surge was pivotal, as he climbed from 31st place at the midpoint to finish in the top 10. Bocovich also made a decisive move into the top 10, improving on his 16th-place finish from last year. Paul Knight (21st) and Dawson Gunn (25th) rounded out Mines’ scoring, ensuring the team’s narrow win.
The women’s team also delivered a historic performance, finishing fifth overall, led by Jenna Ramsey-Rutledge’s standout run. Ramsey-Rutledge captured third place individually, the highest finish ever by an Oredigger woman at the national meet. Her time of 20:34 in the 6K race secured Mines’ third-ever top 10 individual result. Emily LaMena (57th), Grace Strongman (63rd), Lexi Herr (70th) and Imani Fernandez-Gorbea (75th) completed the scoring for Mines.
In recognition of their outstanding performances, seven Orediggers earned All-America honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association. Mines’ men placed six runners in the top 40—Bocovich, Scomparin, Grolnic, Knight, Gunn and Vaille—while Ramsey-Rutledge represented the women with her bronze-medal finish. In addition, Scomparin was named the 2024 RMAC Academic Athlete of the Year for men’s cross country, extending Mines’ streak of top honors to four consecutive years.
Head coach Chris Siemers also was named the 2024 NCAA Division II National Men’s Coach of the Year, receiving the prestigious Joe Vigil Award for the fifth time in his career. Siemers’ leadership guided the Orediggers to an unbeaten season, which included wins at the South Central Region Championships, RMAC Championships and several invitational meets.
