Weekend Rewind: Top XC Storylines (Nov. 17-23)

Weekend Rewind
Katherine Lucas


Lemngole Repeats, Samuel Breaks Through, and NCAA Fields Deliver Record Depth 

While most of our focus remains on the high school postseason, it's worth stepping back to acknowledge what unfolded at the collegiate level this weekend.After all, many of the athletes now starring on the NCAA stage were high school standouts not long ago. 

Championship Saturday brought fog, mud, and drama to Columbia, Missouri, as the nation's top programs converged on the Gans Creek Cross Country Course for the 2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. With a cool, misty layer hanging over the grounds from the opening gun, athletes faced classic November cross-country conditions and responded with some of the most remarkable performances the meet has ever seen.

Women's Championship

Doris Lemngole of Alabama successfully defended her national title, closing hard over the final half mile to win in 18:25. She remained patient through the early stages of the race before gradually asserting control on the final loop.

Freshman star Jane Hedengren of BYU, undefeated heading into nationals, stayed with Lemngole through nearly 5K and handled the pace with the composure of a veteran. The two separated from the rest of the pack early and set the tone for a front-running battle. Hedengren eventually lost contact in the final stretch but still crossed in 18:38.9, closing out one of the strongest debut collegiate seasons in recent memory for the 19-year-old.

Hedengren Finishes Runner-Up At The 2025 NCAA XC Championship

The race was not only competitive but historically significant. Nineteen of the twenty fastest times ever recorded in meet history were run in this year's championship, a level of depth never seen before at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Cool temperatures, firm footing, and a committed pace from the opening kilometer contributed to a race that reset the performance standard for the event. It will likely be viewed as one of the defining editions of the championship.

In the team standings, NC State returned to the top with 114 points, placing five athletes in the top 44. Juniors Hannah Gapes and Grace Hartman finished fifth and sixth to lead the Wolfpack past BYU (130) and Oregon (153).

Men's Championship

Habtom Samuel of New Mexico claimed the men's individual title in 28:33.9, pulling away over the final kilometers to secure his first NCAA cross country crown.

One of the biggest surprises of the race came from Tayvon Kitchen, who delivered one of the boldest freshman performances of the championship. Kitchen led the men's field through 5K in 14:25, setting a pace that immediately reshaped the early dynamics of the race. He faded to 39th in the later stages but rallied over the final kilometer, closing in 2:49, his fastest split of the day, to finish 32nd overall. It was an aggressive, fearless run that signaled his future potential at the national level.

Oklahoma State delivered one of the most complete team efforts of the meet, scoring 57 points with three athletes inside the top six. Brian Musau, Fouad Messaoudi, and Denis Kipngetich set the tone up front and created a margin that New Mexico (82) could not close. The Cowboys' depth and composure secured the program another NCAA team title.

A deeper look at the top finishers:

Women's Team Results (Top 8)

  1. NC State, 114

  2. BYU, 130

  3. Oregon, 153

  4. New Mexico, 216

  5. Florida, 225

  6. Stanford, 267

  7. Notre Dame, 278

  8. Northern Arizona, 279

Women's Individual Results (Top 8)

  1. Doris Lemngole (Alabama), 18:25.4

  2. Jane Hedengren (BYU), 18:38.9

  3. Hilda Olemomoi (Florida), 18:46.4

  4. Riley Chamberlain (BYU), 18:47.0

  5. Hannah Gapes (NC State), 18:51.3

  6. Grace Hartman (NC State), 18:52.6

  7. Isca Chelangat (Oklahoma State), 18:56.1

  8. Vera Sjoberg (North Carolina), 18:56.5

Men's Team Results (Top 8)

  1. Oklahoma State, 57

  2. New Mexico, 82

  3. Iowa State, 158

  4. Syracuse, 212

  5. Oregon, 239

  6. Alabama, 253

  7. Virginia, 303

  8. Northern Arizona, 303

Men's Individual Results (Top 8)

  1. Habtom Samuel (New Mexico), 28:33.9

  2. Rocky Hansen (Wake Forest), 28:38.0

  3. Solomon Kipchoge (Washington State), 28:40.1

  4. Brian Musau (Oklahoma State), 28:41.2

  5. Fouad Messaoudi (Oklahoma State), 28:42.8

  6. Denis Kipngetich (Oklahoma State), 28:44.3

  7. Gary Martin (Virginia), 28:44.3

  8. Collins Kiprotich (New Mexico), 28:45.7

MORE FROM THE MEET

NCAA Cross Country Championships Results: See Who Won

FULL RESULTS