Fayetteville, Ark. -- Missouri Southern senior Eric Schott was the top non-Division I runner today at the prestigious Chili Pepper Invitational and the Lions finished third as a team today in the race ran at the University of Arkansas. 

Schott traversed the 8k course in a time of 24:13.0, just 20 seconds off of the race leader. Tyler Rush and Andrew Webster finished 39th and 41st, respectively, while Adrian Todd was 92nd. 

Alex Mason was 111th, while Colton Wooldridge placed 125th. Ben Southwick placed 189th, while Steven Chorma and Gabe Lodge placed 208th and 213th, respectively. Drake Smelser placed 253rd. 

The Lions had three runners in the top 12 of the college division standings, and scored 87 points. Oklahoma City won the race with a total of 61 points, while Sioux Falls placed second with 71 points. Iowa Central CC placed fourth, while West Texas A&M was fifth. East CEntral, Texas A&M Commerce, Harding, Missouri S&T and Northwest Missouri rounded out the top ten team scores. 

The Lions will be back in action next Saturday, traveling to Bolivar to compete in the Southwest Baptist Invitational.