COLUMBIA, Mo. – Jan Wouter van den Akker (Groningen, Netherlands) of the UMass Lowell cross country team impressed as the lone River Hawk at the 2025 NCAA Cross Country Championships, crossing the finish line in 70th place with a time of 29:25.0.

Competing in his first career NCAA Championships and facing the nation's best on the 10K course at Missouri's Gans Creek Cross Country Course, van den Akker held his own in a deep field of 259 finishers. He delivered a poised, disciplined performance on the national stage, placing well inside the top quarter of the country's elite collegiate runners. His 29:25.0 finish also marked a new personal record, edging out the 29:25.9 he set just one week earlier.

"Wouter ran exactly how we planned it out," said Head Coach Gary Gardner. "It is easy to plan, but harder to follow through, especially in your first race at this level. This meet is different than any other, and the level of talent is so dense."

Van den Akker earned his spot at nationals with a 10th-place performance at the NCAA Northeast Regional (29:25.9), a result that secured All-Region honors. Earlier this season, he claimed the America East individual title to help lead the River Hawks to their sixth consecutive conference championship. His race at nationals caps off an incredible final season for the graduate student.

"We could not be more pleased with how he finished out this season," added Gardner.