The Cyclones validated the preseason hype, posting a first-place finish in the men’s division and a seventh-place finish in the women’s division at the Gans Creek Classic on Friday.
31 teams competed in Columbia, Missouri, in one of the premier regular-season cross-country meets. The Iowa State men finished with a cumulative time of 1:54:14.9 in the 8k race, defeating runner-up Virginia by 50 seconds as a team. The Cyclone women finished just five points outside of a top-five finish in the women’s 6k race with a cumulative time of 1:40:15.8.
Men’s Recap
For the Cyclone men, Friday served as the first test to live up to their first preseason No. 1 ranking. The Cyclones dominated at the meet, with five runners placing in the top-20 individually out of over 200 runners.
It took the Cyclones a little while to shake the cobwebs off as they sat in 16th place as a team through the first thousand meters, but halfway through the race, Iowa State took hold of first place and never let go.
The men were led by sophomore Joash Ruto’s second-place finish with a time of 22:32.0 in the 8k. Close behind him were graduate student Sanele Masondo in sixth and sophomore Robin Kwemoi Bera, who crossed in seventh.
Senior Rodgers Kiplimo and freshman Meshack Kimutai rounded out Iowa State’s top five runners in 13th and 19th place, respectively.
Iowa State’s 47 points as a team were 60 ahead of runner-up Virginia, the USTFCCCA’s No. 6-ranked team. No. 13 Colorado, No. 11 Alabama and No. 4 BYU wrapped up the top five teams at the meet.
The men will look to continue their dominance at the Nuttycombe Invitational on Oct. 17 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Women’s Recap
The Cyclone women came into Friday’s meet looking to back up their No. 27 ranking in the nation. With a seventh-place team finish, the women proved their placement in the national rankings won’t be a flash in the pan.
As a team, Iowa State’s cumulative time was the fourth best of the women’s teams. However, due to some extremely close calls between the runners, the Cyclones finished behind national championship contenders Oregon and Utah in a battle for a top-five finish.
Freshman Mercyline Kirwa paved the way for Iowa State’s top seven ranking with her third-place individual finish. With a time of 19:13.7 in the 6k, Kirwa showed amazing potential that could push the Cyclones over the top at upcoming meets.
Redshirt freshman Betty Kipkore followed up the Big 12 Runner of the Week award she received following the Cyclone Preview with a 14th-place finish.
She was followed by senior Maelle Porcher, who finished in 20th place. With Kirwa, Kipkore and Porcher, Iowa State was one of two teams to have three runners place in the top 20 individually.
Sophomore Ruby Hughes and junior Sydney Morrell were Iowa State’s final two placing runners in 88th and 104th place, respectively. The Cyclones concluded the meet with 228 points as a team.
The USTFCCCA No. 12 Florida Gators finished first with a team score of 102, with No. 8 Northern Arizona and No. 26 Colorado finishing right behind. The Cyclones finished ahead of No. 16 Michigan State, and no team ranked below Iowa State in the national rankings placed higher at the meet.
The Cyclone women will look to continue moving up the rankings Oct. 17 at the Nuttycombe Invitational in Madison, Wisconsin.
