LOCKPORT -- Freshman Sean Smith (Winnebago H.S./Winnebago, IL) and junior Michael McElyea (Joliet JC/Illiopolis, IL) placed second and eighth, respectively, to qualify for the NAIA Championships and lead the University of St. Francis men's team to a second-place finish among 10 teams at the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Cross County Championships at Dellwood Park.

Smith covered the hilly 8-kilometer course at Dellwood in 26:49.12 and finished 20 seconds behind first-place runner Kenny MacDonough of team champion Olivet Nazarene. The Tigers easily captured team honors with their five top runners finishing among the top seven individuals.

McElyea ran a time of 27:24.29 and was one of the top five runners not on the winning team which earned him his trip, along with Smith, to Vancouver, Wash., in two weeks for the NAIA Championships.

Junior Ian McDowell (Lansing CC/Lansing, MI) came in 11^th and missed qualifying for the national meet by just one spot. He covered the course in a time of 27:55.70 and was only 12 seconds away from earning the national qualifying spot.

Junior Adam Yost (Sparta H.S./Sparta, MI) placed 16^th overall (28:19.03) and narrowly missed earning all-conference recognition.

The Saints have finished second in the CCAC meet in each of the last two years.