Completed Event: Cross Country versus Cyclone Preview on August 29, 2025 , , Men: 1st, Women: 1st
Final
Cross Country
Cyclone Preview
Men: 1st, Women: 1st
Iowa State University Athletics
Saturday, November 22
Columbia, Mo.
9:20 AM (W); 10:10 AM (M)
Iowa State
at
NCAA Championships
PRIMER: Cross Country to Compete at NCAA Championships
11.20.2025 | Cross Country
The Iowa State men's and women's cross country teams will get the chance to compete for national championships on Saturday morning. The No. 2 Iowa State men are seeking to improve upon their 2024 NCAA Runner-Up team finish while the women make their return to the national meet after finishing 20th in 2023.
NCAA Championships
Saturday, November 22
Women's 6K | 9:20 a.m.
Men's 10K | 10:10 a.m.
Watch | Live Results | Meet Information
Last Time Out
The Cyclone men earned their third straight automatic bid to the NCAA Championships last Friday with a runner-up finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional. The Cyclones had four runners place in the Top 10 while five earned all-region honors. The ISU women finished third at the regional meet with three runners earning All-Region status. The women earned an at-large selection last Saturday to make their return to the NCAA Championships.
The Field at the NCAA Championships
All Top 30 teams on both the NCAA men's and women's side will compete at the national meet. The No. 12 Iowa State women are the second-highest ranked team to return to the NCAA Championships after being absent from the participating teams a season ago.
Each of the Top 11 teams at the NCAA Championships a season ago make their return to the field in 2025. 2024 team champion BYU enters championship weekend ranked No. 8 while runner-up ISU enters the weekend ranked second nationally.
The Course
Gans Creek is the home of the Mizzou cross country teams. The course opened on September 27, 2019, with the Gans Creek Classic. Gans Creek Cross Country Course is home to the MSHSAA Cross Country Championships, the 2021 SEC Championships, the 2022 NCAA Cross Country Midwest Regional Championships and the 2025 NCAA Cross Country Championship.
What to Watch For
- Following its first 10K of the season last Friday, No. 2 ISU will look to improve upon its runner-up finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional. Iowa State is known for making the jump from 8K, which the Cyclones ran at the Gans Creek Classic, Nuttycombe Invitational and Big 12 Championship, to 10K exceptionally well.
- Last season, Robin Kwemoi Bera, Sanele Masondo and Joash Ruto earned All-America honors for their Top 40 individual finishes in Madison, Wisconsin. In 2023, Masondo and Rodgers Kiplimo earned All-America honors to lead the Cyclones to a fifth-place team finish.
- On the women's side, Maelle Porcher makes her fourth consecutive appearance at the national meet after qualifying as an individual a season ago.
- The young Cyclones have been paced by a trio of freshman runners this season. Mercyline Kirwa and Betty Kipkore have consistently been ISU's top finishers and have each earned Big 12 Runner of the Week honors. Mercy Kibet has also come on strong late into the season with Top 10 finishes at both the Big 12 Championships and NCAA Midwest Regional.
Players Mentioned
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