LEBANON, Pa. – Gallaudet University sophomore Sevan Ikeda (Fremont, Calif.) picked up where he left off last fall with a second-place finish at the Dutchmen Invitational on Saturday morning at Union Canal Tunnel Park.

Ikeda, the defending United East Conference champion and 2025 United East Runner and Rookie of the Year, completed the 8-kilometer course in 25 minutes, 56 seconds. His performance ranks as the fifth-fastest 8K time in Gallaudet men's cross country history.

Ikeda finished only 10.6 seconds behind individual champion Derick Blair from Susquehanna University, who crossed the finish line in 25:45.4.

The course conditions proved challenging after significant rain during the week left muddy sections throughout the 8K course. Saturday's race was held under sunny and warm conditions, as Ikeda and his Gallaudet teammates crossed the finish line covered in mud and debris.

First-year Dylan Olmos (San Jose, Calif.) turned in an impressive collegiate debut for the Bison. Olmos finished 27th overall with a time of 28:15.3. Fellow first-year Kai Min Huot (St. Augustine, Fla.) completed his first collegiate 8K in 33:46.1 to finish 132nd overall. Gallaudet had three runners complete the race and did not record a team score since five finishers are required to score as a team.

Host Lebanon Valley College won the 15-team meet with 40 points as all five of its scoring runners finished among the top 10. Susquehanna placed second with 72 points followed by Eastern University (118), Penn St.-Berks (174) and St. Mary's College of Maryland (183) to round out the top five.

The Dutchmen Invitational also served as an early preview of the course that will host the 2026 United East Conference Championship on Oct. 31.

UP NEXT
Gallaudet returns to action Friday, Sept. 11, at the SU Twilight Open hosted by Shenandoah University at Kernstown Battlefield in Winchester, Va. The men's race is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.