ANGOLA, Ind. -- Trine will be seeking a top-two finish in the MIAA when the Thunder compete in the MIAA Men's Cross Country Championship this Saturday.

A second-place finish in Saturday's race would give Trine the chance to finish in a tie for second place in the conference. A tie for second would match the team's best result as a member of the MIAA (2004-present). Thunder runners will need to be at their best to achieve that goal and move up from their fourth-place finish in the MIAA Jamboree. Results of the Jamboree count one-third towards the final conference standings.

Adam Schaaf (Greentown, Ind. / Eastern) enters Saturday's race as a strong bet to earn the second All-MIAA honors of his career. The senior earned All-MIAA First Team honors in 2014 before missing last season due to injury. Schaaf placed sixth individually in the Jamboree. The top eight runners in the conference earn First Team honors.

Trine will look to its depth for success with numerous runners showing the ability to contribute points in the top five. Aaron Mast (Ligonier, Ind. / West Noble) and Lewis Duke (Greentown, Ind. / Eastern) are each coming off career-best times in the Inter-Regional Rumble at Oberlin College and will be looking to build off that performance. Kody Snyder (Burnettsville, Ind. / Twin Lakes) added a season-best time in the same race.

Additional Thunder runners who have contributed points this season include Garrett Benedict (Greenfield, Ind. / Greenfield Central), Collin Elek (Osceola, Ind. / Penn), Jordan Zamarron (Ionia, Mich. / Ionia) and Jonathan Phillips (Royal Center, Ind. / Pioneer).

Mast, Benedict and Zamarron have shown strong progression over the course of the season. Each runner has improved their respective 8K times by nearly two minutes.

Saturday's MIAA Men's Cross Country Championship race will be held at Tomac Woods Golf Course. The men's 8K race is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. CLICK HERE for directions and more information.