MEMPHIS, Tenn. – After making their first appearance in the regional polls earlier in the week, the UT Tyler men’s cross country team provided affirmation that they are one of the top teams in the region with an impressive finish at the Rhodes Invitational on Saturday.

The Patriots, ranked No. 5 in the South/Southeast Region, finished with 88 team points on the heels of top ten finishes from Jeff Chandler and Ross Renfroe.  As a team, UT Tyler finished second only to NCAA Division I power Memphis.

Chandler’s fifth place time of 25:44 and Renfroe’s sixth place mark of 26:00 helped UT Tyler edge Cornell College and host Rhodes who both had 90 team points.

Nicklas Huff and Will Krogman also finished in the top 25 for UT Tyler, with times of 27:04 and 27:31, respectively. Ford Noak had a 33rd place time of 27:39.

In a competitive women’s field, UT Tyler placed ninth out 12 teams. Ginny Murphy was the top runner for the Patriots’ women, posting a 25:10 time for 33rd Place.  Audrey Halicke (25:37), Baylee Talaska (26:10), Meagan Whetstone (27:21) and Missy Hebert (27:31) rounded out the top five for UT Tyler.

Memphis also won the women’s meet with 34 team points. Rhodes was second with 69.

The Patriots will split up for their next meets on Oct. 15, with the men’s team headed to the NCAA Pre-National Meet in Oshkosh, Wisc., and the women running in the Centenary Invitational.