COLUMBIA, Mo. – The NCAA cross country season is in full swing, and on Friday, Sept. 26 teams from around the country will converge on the Gans Creek Cross Country course, in a preview of the national championship race set to take place in November.
19 nationally ranked teams will toe the line for the championship “Gold” men’s race Friday morning. Let’s break down the favorites and contenders to win both the individual and team titles in the national championship preview.
Men’s 8K – Individual
Last year’s individual winner Edward Bird, Kentucky, will not return to defend his title, so no matter what, a new face will stand atop the podium.
Early favorites for the race win have to be the sophomore pair from Washington State, Evans Kurui and Solomon Kipchoge. Both ran impressive times of 22:22.1 and 22:32.4 at the WSU Classic Invitational on Sept. 12, and seem capable of running even faster should the competition push them to do so. Otherwise, the field remains equally star-studded, with the likes of Texas Tech’s freshman standout Titus Kimaru and Alabama’s Dismus Lokira having run strong times as well.
Experience will play a factor though, as Gans Creek’s rolling hills and winding loops will be a challenge for the southern teams less prone to racing on hillier courses during the regular season. Eyes should be kept on the twins from Stanford, Leo and Lex Young, who finished second and fifth in last year’s race. Also consider senior Gary Martin, the Virginia all-star who just wrapped up an impressive display in the 1500m and 5000m races at the USATF Outdoor Championships.
Ultimately, the winner will be decided by who can withstand the courses’ 3k loop, which will have to be run twice in the race. The mental fortitude required to hang in as the course rises and falls between the kilometer gates on the eastern hillside is not for the faint of heart, but expect a fast effort all the same.
Predicted Individual Winner: Solomon Kipchoge – 23:12.2
Men’s 8k – Team
Team-wise it’s anyone’s guess as to who can put forth a strong five-man effort on Friday.
The easy choice would be to select the consensus No. 1 team in the nation, Iowa State, but so far the Cyclones are largely unproven this early in the season. Four of ISU’s projected top seven will make their season-debut in the race. Granted those four are Rodgers Kiplimo, Robin Kwemoi Bera, Sanele Masondo and Joash Ruto, all of whom were named All-Americans last season, but Gans Creek is not an easy challenge for those looking to open their schedule.
Another pick could be the defending national champions, No. 4 BYU. Though it lost much of its depth in comparison to last year, the Cougars still have a pair of All-Americans in 3000m Steeplechase Olympian James Corrigan and Davin Thompson, as well as the experienced Luke Grundvig and newly transferred Thomas Boyden. The big question is BYU’s young talent, who while impressive, is still untested against the high end runners across the country.
If last year’s results are anything to go by, expect No. 7 Stanford to be right up front in the team standings. In the 2024 iteration of the Gans Creek Classic, the California squad impressed the masses, scoring a stunning 31 points for the team win. For context, second place was Tennessee, with 163 points. Stanford will field the Young twins who finished in first and third for the team last season, as well as senior Paul Bergeron who finished fifth, but it will be hurting after losing Cole Sprout who graduated, and the aforementioned Boyden.
Ultimately the deciding factor will be which team can put themselves in the right position to win. Stanford’s key to success in 2024 was to put its top five in the lead pack from the opening gun, but a conservative approach in the midfield could favor the bold.
Predicted Team Winner: Stanford (No. 7)