TO YOUR MARKS
The Washburn Ichabod men's cross country team will be making its third NCAA Cross County National appearance since 2024 and the women's squad will be represented at the final meet for the first time since 2017 as the teams will be in action at the national championships on Saturday in Kenosha, Wisc. at the Dannehl National Cross Country Course.
 
RACE COVERAGE
Live results: https://bit.ly/25NCAACC
Live video: https://www.ncaa.com/liveschedule/2025/11/22
NCAA Championship Page: https://parksiderangers.com/feature/Championships
 
TIMING
The women's 6K race will begin at 10 a.m. and the men's race is a 10K starting at 11:15 a.m. with the awards presentation set following the competition.
 
WHO IS GOING
Scheduled to compete for the Ichabod women's squad Kyla Lochtefeld after finishing 11th at the NCAA regional championship on Nov. 8 earning an individual bid. The first for an Ichabod women's runner since 2017.
The men's lineup will consist of Alex Adams, Sebastiaan Horselenberg, Donald Kibet, Adrian Lehman, Lukas Mehl, Shane Mullen, Sam Nesbitt, Tommy Roehl, Ludovico Vaccarri and Trent Zimbelman.
 
WASHBURN NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Washburn Ichabod men's squad is ranked third in the USTFCCCA Regional poll behind Northwest Missouri and Pittsburg State and have been third in all seven regional polls so far this season. The Ichabods men are No. 13 in the seventh national poll after sitting 14th in the last poll.
 
MIAA PRESEASON POLLS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Washburn Ichabod men's cross country team was second in last regional ranking and the women's squad was picked in seventh in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Polls that were released prior to the start of the season.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE ICHABODS
MEN
JOPLIN, Mo. – Senior Donald Kibet tied a program record with a second-place finish and Tommy Roehl recorded a top-20 finish as the Washburn Ichabod men's cross country team placed second overall at the NCAA Central Regional Championship on Saturday, in the 10K race hosted at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course.
Kibet's performance tied the highest regional finish in program history for the Washburn squad in a time of 30:21.66. Behind Kibet, the Ichabods displayed impressive pack running with four athletes landing in the top 60. Tommy Roehl finished 17th in 31:14.38, while Sebastiaan Horselenberg crossed in 31:24.43 for 22nd. Ludovico Vaccari clocked 31:31.84 to take 28th, and Shane Mullen completed the scoring five with a 34th-place time of 31:41.46.
Lukas Mehl and Alex Adams added key depth for Washburn, finishing 41st (31:57.03) and 59th (32:30.55), respectively.
The Ichabods' spread of just 1:20 between their top five runners highlighted the team's depth and consistency on the regional stage.
Northwest Missouri State's Aziz Mohammed claimed the individual title in 29:53.48, while the Bearcats also earned the team championship with 71 team points. Washburn tallied 102 points, followed by East Central with 114 and Pittsburg State with 117.
WOMEN
JOPLIN, Mo. – The Washburn women's cross country team put up one of its best showings in program at the NCAA Central Regional Championship on Saturday morning at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course, placing five runners in the top 90 for ninth overall - the best finish in program history at the event.
Sophomore Kyla Lochtefeld led the Ichabods with an impressive 11th-place finish, clocking 21:24.21 over the 6,000-meter course. Her finish tied the highest regional placement by a Washburn runner in program history. Her time was a program-best for a 6K time and it earned her a trip to the national championships later this month.
Right behind her was junior Lexie Fontaine, with an 12th-place effort in 21:25.85, giving Washburn two top-15 finishers for the first time at a regional meet. The pair ran together in the lead chase pack throughout the final two miles, moving up several spots over the closing stretch.
Freshman Grace Collins turned in a clutch postseason performance, finishing 49th in 22:20.23, holding her position among the top-50 of more than 230 competitors. Senior Jolie Evans placed 70th (22:37.98), followed closely by Jordyn Cleary in 86th (22:54.39) to round out the Ichabods' scoring lineup.
Freshman Rylee Ismert (90th, 22:59.52) and sophomore Riley Britton (102nd, 23:03.60) provided critical depth in the team's strong collective performance.
With Lochtefeld and Fontaine both finishing in the top 15, Washburn will await the NCAA's official announcement to see if either runner advances individually to the Division II National Championships.
Winona State won the team title with 99 points followed by Pittsburg State with 113, Nebraska-Kearney with 116, Minnesota State with 141 and Northwest Missouri with 156 rounding out the top five. Washburn tallied 228 points overall.
 
UP NEXT
The cross country squads will switch over to the indoor track season starting witht he Alumni Invitational on Dec. 3 at the Sneed Indoor Athletic Facility.