2024-2025: Cross Country – competed in all 6 ACU meets for the season. He would finish the #2 top ACU finisher at the Gans Creek XC Invitational in Columbia, MO, but saved his best run for the championship season, as he finished 35th at the WAC Championship in Orem, UT – the #3 finisher for ACU in that race. He finished the South Central Region Championship as the #7 finisher for ACU. Indoors and Outdoors – redshirt.

2023-24: Cross Country – spent the first half of the season acclimating to the longer collegiate XC rac distance, but came on strong in the 2 nd  half of the season, finishing 45 th  (#3 ACU finisher) with a 8K PR of 25:47 at the WAC Championships run on ACU’s Zoe Park course and 97 th  (#4 ACU finisher) with time a of 32:27 in his first race at the 10K distance at the South Central Championships in Fayetteville, AR. Was named to the WAC All-Academic Honor team both fall and spring. Indoors – ran in 3 meets for ACU. Placed 4 th in the JD Martin Invitational 3K at the University of Oklahoma, but did not compete at the WAC Championship. Outdoors – nagging injuries only allowed Mikhail to compete in 1 meet outdoors – placing 10 th in the Corky/Crofoot Invitational 5K in Lubbock.

Before ACU: Competed for the Austin Champions Homeschool team and during his HS senior year, Mikhail finished 5 th  in the Texas Homeschool Championship XC meet and went on to finish 4 th  in the 1600 and 5 th  in the 3200 at the Texas Homeschool Championship T&F meet. He also held the school record for the Austin Champions in the mile (4:33).

Personal: Parents are Kenneth and Jennifer Fortner. Also has 1 brother, Lukas. Active as a volunteer with Kids Outdoor Zone and on the worship and young adult ministry at Hill Country Fellowship. Majoring in English and also receives the LYNAY scholarship.

Why did you choose ACU? A strong Christian environment, a tight community, a strong major-specific department, and D1 athletics.