Cowboy and Cowgirl Cross Country Claim Midwest Regional Titles
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State men's and women's cross country each took home team titles at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships at the Greiner Family OSU Cross Country Course in Stillwater on Friday, earning automatic bids to the NCAA Championships in the process.
"I'm so impressed by toughness of our at athletes," Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Dave Smith said. "I am so grateful that they have joined me in dedicating this championship season to the toughest lady I know, my mom, Judy Smith."
The Cowgirls kicked things off with a dominant and controlled performance from top-to-bottom, scoring just 30 points as a team. With their victory, the Cowgirls secured the fifth Midwest Regional Championship in program history (2001, 2005, 2015 and 2022).
"I thought the women ran a really patient and controlled race," Smith said. "That was our goal from the start, go out and run as conservatively as we possibly can, and then if we have to have a big finish we can. It turned out that with that mindset, they ran a perfectly even pace, which is the easiest way to run. Some of those women, like Cayden Dawson, Heidi (Demeo) and Sivan (Auerbach), all ran all-time bests out here. I think they learned a lesson today, if you start conservatively then you are going to run faster overall. So, if we can take that same mentality into the national meet next week and stay calm and poised and run under control, then I think we have a really high ceiling.
All seven Cowgirls placed in the top 20 overall, with OSU's top-5 scorers all finishing inside the top 12. Billah Jepkirui took home the Midwest Regional title, the third Cowgirl in program history to do so, joining Christine McMiken (1985) and Siri Alfeim (2001). Finishing alongside Jepkirui was Big 12 Champion Taylor Roe, who now has career finishes of second, third and second at the regional meet. Molly Born also joined the pair in the top-5 with a fifth-place finish overall, her highest career finish at the meet. Rounding out the scoring for OSU was Cayden Dawson and Gabija Galvydyte, who took home 10th and 12th-place finishes overall.
"I think Billah, Taylor and Molly were very under control, I don't think they had to press too hard at all until maybe the last 800 meters," Smith said. "I told them, "If you want to finish hard you can and they moved up pretty quickly. I think they are ready for next week."
On the men's side, the Cowboys put down an even more dominant display, scoring 19 points overall. The OSU men put all five scorers in the top-10, with freshman phenoms Denis Kipngetich and Brian Musau controlling the race from start-to-finish. Kipngetich collected his second career meet victory (2023 Cowboy Jamboree) and first career NCAA Midwest Regional title. This is the second consecutive year a Cowboy has won the individual title after Isai Rodriguez won in 2022.
"The men's race was almost a mirror image of the women's," Smith said. "I think they started a little faster than we had hoped. Throughout the race, I was trying to get them to take their foot off the gas just a little bit and they did, but I think we maybe ran a little harder than we needed to, but they looked under control, they felt good, had smiles on their face, and I think spirits are high and they are going into next week with a lot of confidence."
Big 12 Champion Musau earned runner-up honors Friday and has yet to finish outside the top-2 in any race this season. Behind Musau was Fouad Messaoudi in third, giving the Cowboys a 1-2-3 finish overall. Rounding out the scorers for the OSU men was freshman Adisu Guadie in fifth and senior Alex Maier in eighth.
"I think we are one of, if not, the best teams in the country," Smith said. "There are always teams that could jump up and surprise you, but the way it's all looking right now is that it's narrowing down to a two-team race between OSU and Northern Arizona. It will be a grudge match, a sort of revenge tour from last year. I'm excited, I think our guys are ready. Since we stood here a year ago, bitterly disappointed, we have been preparing for this coming week and it's finally here. I'm excited, our guys are excited, can't wait to get out and get it on."
The Cowboys and Cowgirls will return to action next weekend in Charlottesville, VA, for the NCAA Cross Country Championships, with each looking to bring home NCAA title No. 53 for OSU.
For more information on the Cowboys and Cowgirls, continue to check back with okstate.com.
Men's Race - Team (10K)
1. No. 2 Oklahoma State - 19
2. No. 20 Iowa State - 56
3. *Tulsa - 131
4. Loyola (Illinois) - 131
5. South Dakota State - 196
*Won Tiebreaker
Men's Race - Individual (10K)
1. Denis Kipngetich - 29:39.2
2. Brian Musau - 29:49.2
3. Fouad Messaoudi - 30:03.5
5. Adisu Guadia - 30:12.4
8. Alex Maier - 30:26.1
19. Alex Stitt- 31:02.0
Women's Race - Team (6K)
1. No. 5 Oklahoma State - 30
2. No. 18 Iowa State - 75
3. Northwestern - 155
4. Minnesota - 184
5. Kansas State - 241
Women's Race - Individual (6K)
1. Billah Jepkirui - 20:28.4
2. Taylor Roe - 20:29.1
5. Molly Born - 20:36.1
10. Cayden Dawson- 20:43.9
12. Gabija Galvydyte - 20:46.0
17. Sivan Auerbach - 21:02.4
19. Heidi Demeo - 21:03.6