EAST LANSING, Mich. – Toledo captured the NCAA Division I Men’s Cross Country Great Lakes Regional championship Friday, placing three runners among the top five to secure an automatic berth in the NCAA Championships. Akron’s Noah Nyageo also earned an individual bid with a sixth-place finish.

The Rockets totaled 59 points to edge runner-up Notre Dame by seven points. Michigan State finished third with 106 points, followed by Wisconsin with 109 and Butler with 116.

Junior Patrick Kiprop led Toledo with a runner-up finish, completing the 10-kilometer course in 30:07.2. Senior Joad Martinho followed in third at 30:09.4, while freshman Eloshas Kipkirui placed fifth in 30:16.6.

The Rockets rounded out their scoring with finishes of 13th and 36th to claim the regional crown. The victory completed a sweep of the Great Lakes Regional team titles for Toledo, whose women won earlier Friday with 31 points.

Nyageo delivered a standout performance for Akron, crossing sixth in a personal-best 30:18.2 to earn his place at the NCAA Championships. The sophomore joined Toledo’s leading trio to give the MAC four of the top six individual finishers.

The top two teams at each regional earn automatic bids to the NCAA Championships. The first four regional finishers who are not members of automatic qualifying or at-large teams also receive individual automatic berths.