WHITECAP DAKOTA FIRST NATION, Sask. — The Saskatchewan Huskies cross country teams opened the 2026 season Saturday (Sept. 26) with the fourth annual Dakota Classic, turning in a pair of podium finishes against some of the top programs in Western Canada.

Led by a top-six individual finish from freshman Colter Folk, the Huskie men placed third in the team standings with 48 points, while the women also claimed second place overall with 54 points in their first race of the campaign.

On the men's side, Folk paced the Huskies in the 8-kilometre race, crossing the line sixth overall in a time of 27:34.38. He was one of five Saskatchewan runners to finish among the top 12 as the Huskies showcased impressive depth in the season opener.

Bennett Friesen followed closely behind in ninth place (27:44.63), while Preston Dodge was 10th (27:50.17). Jayvin Cross Child added an 11th-place finish in 27:51.50 and Colin Stock rounded out the Huskies' top finishers in 12th at 27:52.81.

The tightly packed Saskatchewan lineup saw all five scorers separated by less than 19 seconds, helping the Huskies secure third place behind the Manitoba Bisons (35 points) and Regina Cougars (38 points). Troy Campbell finished 17th and Jacob White placed 21st to complete the Huskies' top seven runners.

The women were led by another standout performance from Angelina Beveridge-Warick, who placed fourth overall in the 8-kilometre race with a time of 31:15.08, narrowly missing the podium in a highly competitive field.

Saskatchewan placed seven runners among the top 24 finishers as they earned a runner-up team result behind the Alberta Pandas. Nathalie Toledo crossed the line 12th in 33:20.83, while Petra Tymko was right behind in 13th at 33:21.43. Skylar Dyck finished 17th in 33:51.33 to give the Huskies four runners inside the top 17.

Kyra Shelton (20th, 34:06.80) and Brooklyn Roney (21st, 34:13.71) completed the Huskies' top five, with Madelyn Kaban adding a 22nd-place finish and Eryn Kielo placing 24th overall.

Saturday's meet marked the first competition of the 2026 campaign for both Huskie squads and provided an encouraging early-season test against conference rivals. With balanced scoring, veteran leadership and strong depth throughout both lineups, Saskatchewan opened the year with a solid foundation as the teams turn their attention toward the remainder of the Canada West season. The next action of 2026 comes on October 10 with the Canada West Cross Country Challenge in Vancouver.