VARIOUS SITES, November 01 & 02— The conference championships are title meets, the results count for something. They’re also key signposts suggesting how the short cross country season’s final bouts, men’s and women’s comps at the NCAA Championships, may unfold.
If you harbor a soft spot for tradition, this year’s rocked your landscape. The Pac-12? Gone. Longtime West Coast powers raced on the Atlantic seaboard at the ACC, with Stanford placing 2nd in both the men’s and women’s races, bested by the Wake Forest men and the Notre Dame women.
In the Heartland at the Big 10 — now swollen to 18 members — the women’s comp saw an Oregon-Washington team 1-2 ahead of Wisconsin with Ducks Şilan Ayyıldız and Maddy Elmore out front by 10-seconds plus.
“We picked winning this championship, specifically, as a main goal and focus this season,” Oregon assistant Shalane Flanagan told correspondent Don Kopriva. “Nine weeks ago, they told me they wanted to win this meet and wanted to be a contender at Nationals. I believed them and I’m here to facilitate.”
The Wisconsin men rolled to a seventh straight conference crown, the program’s 55th overall in the nation’s oldest loop.
Badger senior Bob Liking made himself the Big 10’s fourth 4-time champ, racing in front of two predecessors — Craig Virgin and Kevin Sullivan. The other 4-timer club member, Bob Kennedy, perhaps spectated at the ACC where soph daughter Sophia ran No. 2 for Stanford in 11th.
“After my sophomore year, I thought, ‘Maybe I could do this,’” Liking said of his quest for 4. “[Coach Mick Byrne] was pretty big on it my whole time here, so I’m a little relieved. But it’s cool, just to be part of those names, and to be congratulated by them.”
Following Liking in the next four places were ex-Pac-12ers.
Among the early-line individual top 10 picks in our October issue NCAA XC Preview, 6 men triumphed at their conferences:
Men: Graham Blanks (Harvard/Heps), Patrick Kiprop (Arkansas/SEC), Evans Kurui (Washington State/West Coast), David Mullarkey (Northern Arizona/Big Sky), Brian Musau (Oklahoma State/Big 12), Habtom Samuel (Mountain West).
Of our women’s picks, only Doris Lemngole (Alabama/SEC) won a title, though that stat only means so much when stars run on dominant teams at the loop level (see Northern Arizona’s Elise Stearns in the Big Sky and Elmore in the Big 10) or in talent-loaded conferences (see the ACC, Big 10, Big 12 and SEC). At the Conference level, power squads also have the luxury of resting low sticks before Regionals (November 15).
Numbers in parentheses after teams indicate position in the post-conference coaches poll. √=T&FN Preview top 10 individual pick. (Don Kopriva contributed to this report)
ACC
Cary, North Carolina, November 01—
Men’s Teams: 1. Wake Forest 60 (#5); 2. Stanford 69 (#7); 3. North Carolina 80 (#11); 4. Virginia 94 (#13); 5. Syracuse 122 (#17); 6. Notre Dame 127 (#19).
Individuals: 1. *Gary Martin (Va) 22:17.6; 2. Ethan Strand (NC) 22:25.5; 3. Parker Wolfe√ (NC) 22:29.8; 4. Cole Sprout√ (Stan) 22:32.7; 5. *Will Anthony’ (Va-NZ) 22:34.2; 6. **George Couttie (VaT) 22:36.7; 7. Luke Tewalt (WF) 22:39.0; 8. ***JoJo Jourdon (WF) 22:40.1; 9. *Thomas Boyden (Stan) 22:41.6; 10. *Sam Lawler (Syr) 22:46.5.
Women’s Teams: 1. Notre Dame 115 (#6); 2. Stanford 121 (#12); 3. North Carolina 121 (#13); 4. Virginia 152 (#15); 5. NC State 160 (#17); 6. Boston College 185 (#25); 7. Florida State 190 (#24); 8. Syracuse 197 (#28); 9. Wake Forest 200; 10. Louisville 202.
Individuals: 1. **Grace Hartman (NCSt) 19:15.1; 2. ***Silvia Jelego’ (Clem-Ken) 19:22.6; 3. **Hannah Gapes (NCSt) 19:26.5; 4. **Judy Kosgei’√ (Clem-Ken) 19:40.0; 5. Fatima Alanis (NC) 19:41.7; 6. Siona Chisholm’ (NDm-Can) 19:42.3; 7. Margot Appleton (Va) 19:44.0; 8. Brynn Brown (NC) 19:46.4; 9. *Agnes McTighe (FlSt) 19:48.0; 10. Zofia Dudek’ (Stan-Pol) 19:49.0.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC
Wichita, Kansas, November 02—
Men’s Teams: 1. Tulane 33; 2. Tulsa 33; 3. Temple 101; 4. Wichita State 135; 5. Charlotte 146.
Individuals: 1. ***Bernard Cheruiyot’ (Tul-Ken) 23:43.5; 2. Jack Jennings (Tul) 24:02.3; 3. Chris McLeod’ (Tuls-GB) 24:08.6; 4. Jaden Forester (Tuls) 24:11.7; 5. Illia Kunin’ (Tul-Ukr) 24:17.1.
Women’s Teams: 1. Tulsa 63; 2. Tulane 66; 3. Rice 72; 4. Charlotte 79; 5. North Texas 124.
Individuals: 1. ***Caroline Jeptanui’ (Tul-Ken) 20:14.5; 2. ***Blezzin Kimutai’ (Tul-Ken) 20:32.7; 3. ***Oliwia Kopec’ (Rice-Pol) 20:55.3; 4. **Caroline Perrone (Char) 20:59.4; 5. *Robyn Kowalski (Tuls) 21:00.3.
BIG 10
Savoy, Illinois, November 01—
Men’s Teams: 1. Wisconsin 46 (#9); 2. Washington 58; 3. Oregon 58 (#15); 4. Michigan State 125 (=#27); 5. Michigan 158; 6. Indiana 175; 7. Purdue 203; 8. Penn State 250; 9. Illinois 252; 10. Ohio State 253.
Individuals: 1. Bob Liking (Wi) 22:47.3; 2. *Michael Mireles (UCLA) 22:55.0; 3. Nathan Green (Wa) 22:56.9; 4. ***Simeon Birnbaum (Or) 22:57.2; 5. Elliott Cook (Or) 22:57.6; 6. **Evan Jenkins (Wa) 22:57.7; 7. ***Christian de Vaal (Wi) 22:58.9; 8. Andrew Nolan (MiSt) 22:59.3; 9. **Aiden Smith (Or) 22:59.4; 10. ***Matan Ivri’ (Wi-Isr) 22:59.7.
Women’s Teams: 1. Oregon 33 (#2); 2. Washington 60 (#3); 3. Wisconsin 133; 4. Penn State 134 (#20); 5. Minnesota 146 (#23); 6. Michigan State 173 (#29); 7. Northwestern 201; 8. Ohio State 226; 9. Michigan 262; 10. Illinois 277.
Individuals: 1. Şilan Ayyıldız’ (Or-Tur) 19:13.6; 2. Maddy Elmore√ (Or) 19:14.6; 3. *Ali Weimer (Mn) 19:25.0; 4. ***Rachel Forsyth’ (MiSt-Can) 19:26.2; 5. *Florence Caron’ (PennSt-Can) 19:29.1; 6. *Chloe Foerster (Wa) 19:34.1; 7. *Mia Barnett (Or) 19:35.9; 8. *Aniya Mosley (OhSt) 19:38.4; 9. *Julia David-Smith’ (Wa-Fra) 19:39.4; 10. India Weir (Wa) 19:39.6.
BIG 12
Waco, Texas, November 01—
Men’s Teams: 1. BYU 41 (#1); 2. Oklahoma State 52 (#2); 3. Iowa State 62 (#4); 4. Texas Tech 101 (=#27; 5. Colorado 122; 6. TCU 222; 7. Kansas 223; 8. Cincinnati 234; 9. Arizona 280; 10. Houston 297.
Individuals: 1. **Brian Musau’√ (OkSt-Ken) 22:07.0; 2. ***Solomon Kipchoge’ (TxT-Ken) 22:08.5; 3. Casey Clinger (BYU) 22:09.2; 4. ***Robin Kwemoi Bera’ (IaSt-Ken) 22:16.7; 5. ***Ernest Cheruiyot’ (TxT-Ken) 22:25.8; 6. **Denis Kipngetich’√ (OkSt-Ken) 22:29.2; 7. **James Corrigan (BYU) 22:29.7; 8. Joey Nokes (BYU) 22:30.2; 9. Victor Shitsama’ (OkSt-Ken) 22:31.0; 10. Said Mechaal’ (IaSt-Spa) 22:35.6.
Women’s Teams: 1. BYU 41 (#1); 2. West Virginia 60 (#5); 3. Utah 86; 4. Oklahoma State 103 (#19); 5. Texas Tech 155; 6. Colorado 165; 7. Iowa State 171; 8. Kansas 230; 9. Arizona State 316; 10. Kansas State 319.
Individuals: 1. Ceili McCabe’ (WV-Can) 19:02.6; 2. **Juliet Cherubet’ (TxT-Ken) 19:16.9; 3. ***Joy Naukot’ (WV-Ken) 19:18.1; 4. ***Judy Chepkoech’ (AzSt-Ken) 19:32.6; 5. Lexy Halladay-Lowry√ (BYU) 19:50.5; 6. *Riley Chamberlain (BYU) 19:54.3; 7. **Taylor Rohatinsky (BYU) 19:55.3; 8. **Erin Vringer’ (Ut-Can) 19:56.5; 9. *Maelle Porcher’ (IaSt-Fra) 19:58.2; 10. *Carmen Alder’ (BYU-Ecu) 19:58.8.
BIG EAST
College Station, Texas, November 01—
Men’s Teams: 1. Villanova 35 (#14); 2. Butler 41 (#21); 3. Georgetown 70 (#29); 4. Providence 95; 5. Xavier 164; 6. Creighton 169; 7. DePaul 170; 8. Seton Hall 254; 9. Marquette 271.
Individuals: 1. Liam Murphy (Vill) 23:12.9; 2. *Marco Langon (Vill) 23:28.3; 3. **William Zegarski (But) 23:45.5; 4. ***Bailey Habler (Vill) 23:58.4; 5. James Dunne (Gtn) 24:01.1; 6. Florian LePallec’ (But-Fra) 24:02.1; 7. Michael Morgan (Prov) 24:02.7; 8. *Austin Gabay (But) 24:06.6; 9. Abel Teffra (Gtn) 24:08.4; 10. *Devon Comber (Vill) 24:14.5; 11. **David Slapak (But) 24:18.1; 12. Trevor Nolan (Xav) ) 24:18.5; 13. Luke Henseler (But) 24:19.1; 14. **Luke Ondracek (Gtn) 24:19.9; 15. Patrick Thygesen’ (Prov-Aus) 24:26.3.
Women’s Teams: 1. Georgetown 42; 2. Providence 43; 3. UConn 73; 4. Villanova 77; 5. Butler 152.
Individuals: 1. Chloe Thomas’ (Ct-Can) 19:36.6; 2. Alex Millard (Prov) 19:50.7; 3. Chloe Scrimgeour√ (Gtn) 19:53.2; 4. *Sadie Sigfstead’ (Vill-Can) 19:56.3; 5. Lucy Jenks (Gtn) 19:59.3; 6. Kimberley May’√ (Prov-NZ) 20:00.7.
BIG SKY
Pocatello, Idaho, November 01 (c1350m)—
Men’s Teams: 1. Northern Arizona 25 (#8); 2. Montana State 49; 3. Weber State 68; 4. Eastern Washington 135; 5. Idaho State 143.
Individuals: 1. David Mullarkey’√ (NnAz-GB) 23:06.6; 2. *Colin Sahlman (NnAz) 23:14.2; 3. Ben Perrin (MtSt) 23:14.9; 4. *Peter Visser (Web) 23:22.4; 5. Santiago Prosser (NnAz) 23:29.6; 6. **Sam Ells (MtSt) 23:37.8; 7. Rob McManus (MtSt) 23:39.8; 8. ***Ford Washburn (NnAz) 23:43.5; 9. ***Manny Perez (NnAz) 23:48.4; 10. **Justin Keyes (NnAz) 23:50.2.
Women’s Teams: 1. Northern Arizona 15 (#4); 2. Montana State 54; 3. Weber State 78; 4. Idaho State 150; 5. Eastern Washington 151.
Individuals (5K): 1. Aliandrea Upshaw (NnAz) 16:10.4; 2. Elise Stearns√ (NnAz) 16:27.4; 3. *Anna Fenske (NnAz) 16:46.1; 4. ***Ava Mitchell (NnAz) 16:46.3; 5. Alexis Kebbe (NnAz) 16:53.2; 6. ***Emma Stutzman (NnAz) 16:59.0; 7. Kyla Christopher-Moody (MtSt) 16:59.7; 8. **Keira Moore’ (NnAz-Aus) 17:01.0; 9. **Hayley Burns (NnAz) 17:03.1; 10. Grace Gilbreth (MtSt) 17:13.9.
BIG WEST
Riverside, California, November 02—
Men’s Teams: 1. Cal Poly 22; 2. Cal State Fullerton 73; 3. UC Davis 82; 4. UC Irvine 119; 5. UC San Diego 129.
Individuals: 1. Davis Bove (SLO) 23:51.3; 2. **Chris Caudillo (SLO) 23:54.7; 3. Colton Swinth (SLO) 23:55.9; 4. *Ethan Brooks (UCD) 23:56.7; 5. Joshua Mendoza (UCR) 23:58.9.
Women’s Teams: 1. Cal Poly 33; 2. UC Davis 70; 3. UC Irvine 96; 4. UC San Diego 108; 5. Hawai‘i 149.
Individuals: 1. Schuyler Gooley (SLO) 19:47.7; 2. Anna Vogtmann (UCI) 19:49.3; 3. *Maddie Kackley (UCD) 19:51.1; 4. Dani Barrett (UCD) 19:53.6; 5. *Tatiana Cornejo (SLO) 19:57.4.
CUSA
Jacksonville, Florida, November 02—
Men’s Teams: 1. Liberty 46; 2. Middle Tennessee 48; 3. Jacksonville State 92; 4. Sam Houston 98; 5. Kennesaw State 110.
Individuals: 1. ***Allan Kiplagat’ (MTn-Ken) 23:27.9; 2. **Collins Kipkemboi’ (KenSt-Ken) 23:52.0; 3. **Tristian Merchant (Lib) 24:00.1; 4. *Brian Kiptoo’ (MTn-Ken) 24:06.4; 5. Gudisa Adnow (SHous) 24:07.1.
Women’s Teams: 1. Liberty 28; 2. Middle Tennessee 94; 3. Kennesaw State 96; 4. New Mexico State 107; 5. Florida International 121.
Individuals: 1. ***Odilia Jepchumba’ (MTn-Ken) 20:05.3; 2. Adelyn Fairley (Lib) 20:07.6; 3. ***Allie Zealand (Lib) 20:08.1; 4. Ruth Jerubet’ (UTEP-Ken) 20:27.0; 5. *Valerie Lastra (FlInt) 20:31.9.
HEPS
Princeton, New Jersey, November 2—
Men’s Teams: 1. Princeton 51 (#18); 2. Harvard 62 (#20); 3. Cornell 76; 4. Penn 101; 5. Yale 112.
Individuals: 1. Graham Blanks√ (Harv) 22:14.6; 2. Dylan Throop (Penn) 22:46.4; 3. Talha Syed (Col) 22:57.5; 4. Ben Rosa (Harv) 22:59.8; 5. *Myles Hogan (Prin) 23:05.4.
Women’s Teams: 1. Princeton 40; 2. Harvard 53; 3. Yale 104; 4. Dartmouth 131; 5. Brown 136.
Individuals: 1. Phoebe Anderson’ (Col-GB) 19:52.7; 2. Mena Scatchard’ (Prin-GB) 20:04.7; 3. **Anna McNatt (Prin) 20:17.1; 4. *Claire Archer (Yale) 20:17.6; 5. *Molly Malague (Harv) 20:18.1.
MOUNTAIN WEST
Colorado Springs, Colorado, November 01 (altitude c1840)—
Men’s Teams: 1. New Mexico 15 (#6); 2. Colorado State 70 (#23); 3. Wyoming 80 (#26); 4. Boise State 85; 5. Air Force 127.
Individuals: 1. **Habtom Samuel’√ (NM-Eri) 23:20.7; 2. ***Vincent Chirchir’ (NM-Ken) 23:41.5; 3. ***Collins Kiprotich’ (NM-Ken) 23:52.6; 4. **Evans Kiplagat’ (NM-Ken) 24:09.9; 5. **Lukas Kiprop’ (NM-Ken) 24:16.6.
Women’s Teams: 1. New Mexico 32; 2. Boise State 54; 3. Colorado State 79; 4. Air Force 84; 5. Wyoming 103.
Individuals: 1. ***Pamela Kosgei’ (NM-Ken) 19:36.2; 2. *Yasmin Marghini’ (Boise-GB) 20:23.0; 3. **Kaiya Robertson (Boise) 20:24.7; 4. ***Mercy Kirarei’ (NM-Ken) 20:27.5; 5. Kylie Simshauser (Wy) 20:34.5.
SEC
College Station, Texas, November 01—
Men’s Teams: 1. Arkansas 38 (#3); 2. Alabama 52 (#10); 3. Mississippi 122; 4. Texas 152; 5. Missouri 163; 6. Tennessee 169; 7. Auburn 175; 8. Texas A&M 207; 9. Oklahoma 221; 10. Kentucky 230.
Individuals: 1. Patrick Kiprop’√ (Ar-Ken) 21:57.1; 2. Victor Kiprop’ (Al-Ken) 22:07.2; 3. Kirami Yego’ (Ar-Ken) 22:15.9; 4. ***Dismus Lokira’ (Al-Ken) 22:17.1; 5. Yaseen Abdalla (Ar) 22:20.2; 6. ***Dennis Kipruto’√ (Al-Ken) 22:37.9; 7. Isaac Alonzo (Tx) 22:38.5; 8. *Toby Gillen’ (Ms-Aus) 22:41.3; 9. ***Nickson Chebii’ (Aub-Ken) 22:44.9; 10. ***Thobias Cheruiyot’ (Ok-Ken) 22:45.7.
Women’s Teams: 1. Alabama 72 (#7); 2. Tennessee 103 (#16); 3. Florida 122 (#18); 4. Arkansas 132 (#26); 5. Texas 150; 6. Mississippi 155; 7. LSU 213; 8. Auburn 223; 9. Vanderbilt 253; 10. Texas A&M 269.
Individuals: 1. **Doris Lemngole’√ (Al-Ken) 18:20.3; 2. *Hilda Olemomoi’√ (Fl-Ken) 18:25.0; 3. **Paityn Noe (Ar) 18:37.6; 4. **Brenda Tuwei’ (Al-Ken) 18:48.1; 5. ***Brenda Jepchirchir’ (Aub-Ken) 19:13.6; 6. *Ashley Jones (Tn) 19:14.4; 7. Loral Winn (Ms) 19:17.5; 8. Lorena Rangel Batres’ (LSU-Mex) 19:30.5; 9. ***Leah Jeruto’ (Ok-Ken) 19:31.3; 10. *Sydney Thorvaldson (Ar) 19:36.6.
SOUTHERN
Greenville, North Carolina, November 02—
Men’s Teams: 1. Furman 15 (#22); 2. Western Carolina 94; 3. UNC-Greensboro 108; 4. Samford 116; 5. Chattanooga 118.
Individuals: 1. Dylan Schubert (Furm) 23:40.1; 2. Carson Williams (Furm) 24:07.7; 3. ***Christopher Knight (Furm) 24:20.9; 4. Evan Guzman (Furm) 24:21.0; 5. ***Colin Eckerman (Furm) 24:21.2; 6. Nicholas Goldstein (Furm) 24:46.7; 7. **Jackson Martin (Chat) 24:51.2; 8. **Luke Taylor (Furm) 25:04.3; 9. *Drew Zink (WnCar) 25:05.4; 10. **Kevin Shank (VMI) 25:05.9.
Women’s Teams: 1. Furman 19; 2. Samford 50; 3. Chattanooga 81; 4. East Tennessee 97; 5. Mercer 130.
Individuals (5K): 1. *Carly Wilkes (Furm) 16:09.7; 2. *Kaylie Armitage (Furm) 16:15.3; 3. *Jenna Mulhern (Furm) 16:22.7; 4. Lesley Green (Chat) 16:27.2; 5. Sierra Bower (Furm) 16:45.4.
WAC
Orem, Utah, November 01 (altitude c1450)—
Men’s Teams: 1. Cal Baptist 29 (#16); 2. Southern Utah 38; 3. Utah Valley 67; 4. Tarleton State 151; 5. Abilene Christian 156.
Individuals: 1. Mohamed Guled’ (UtV-UAE) 23:07; 2. Santiago Gaitan’ (SnUt-Can) 23:16; 3. ***Zouhair Redouane’ (CalB-Mor) 23:20; 4. **Valentin Soca’ (CalB-Uru) 23:21; 5. Daniel Abdala (CalB) 23:36.
Women’s Teams: 1. Utah Valley 15 (#30); 2. Cal Baptist 63; 3. Southern Utah 97; 4. Seattle U 102; 5. Utah Tech 180.
Individuals: 1. Anna Martin (UtV) 19:51; 2. *Ari Trimble (UtV) 20:00; 3. *Caila Odekirk (UtV) 20:07; 4. *Oakley Olson (UtV) 20:22; 5. Julie Sumsion (UtV) 20:25.
WEST COAST
Lodi, California, November 02—
Men’s Teams: 1. Portland 27 (#25); 2. Gonzaga 42; 3. Washington State 61; 4. Santa Clara 131; 5. St. Mary’s 156.
Individuals: 1. ***Evans Kurui’√ (WaSt-Ken) 22:52.0; 2. Matt Strangio (Port) 23:12.0; 3. Wil Smith (Gonz) 23:16.0; 4. Jona Bodirsky’ (Port-Ger) 23:35.7; 5. *Bradley Peloquin (Port) 23:36.7.
Women’s Teams: 1. Gonzaga 35 (#21); 2. Portland 49; 3. Washington State 63; 4. Oregon State 83; 5. St. Mary’s 160.
Individuals: 1. Rosina Machu (Gonz) 19:45.3; 2. **Fleur Templier’ (Port-Fra) 20:03.6; 3. ***Zenah Cheptoo’ (WaSt-Ken) 20:06.3; 4. Laura Pellicoro’ (Port-Ita) 20:07.6; 5. ***Logan Hofstee (Gonz) 20:14.6.