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 3rd best finisher for ACU in that race. He finished the South Central Region Championship in 166th place. 

2023-24: Cross Country – spent the first half of the season acclimating to the longer collegiate XC race distance, but came on strong in the 2nd half of the season, finishing 45th (#3 ACU finisher) with a 8K PR of 25:47 at the WAC Championships run on ACU’s Zoe Park course and 97th (#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 4th 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 10th 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 5th in the Texas Homeschool Championship XC meet and went on to finish 4th in the 1600 and 5th 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.