Cyclones Start Indoor Season Fast at Boston

BOSTON – Iowa State opened indoor season strong at the BU Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener as the distance squad posted five top-10 ranked program performances. Many NCAA Indoor Championships qualifying performances are produced from this meet, and Cyclones proved they are among the nation's best.

Maelle Porcher kicked off her season with a 9:01.17 in the 3,000m, clocking the third-fastest time in Iowa State history in her first time running the event collegiately. Porcher's time broke the French U23 record and ranks just behind Cyclone legends Lisa Koll and Cailie Logue, and moves above Betsy Saina. The junior coming off a NCAA Cross Country Championships appearance finished 16^th overall and as the 11^th-fastest collegian.

The men then took to the track in the event, with Devan Kipyego and Silas Winders also clocking strong times. Sophomore Kipyego finished with the fourth-fastest performance in program history with 7:49.62 as he ran the event for his first time, while Silas Winders came .71 seconds off his No. 2 ISU ranking PR hitting 7:49.81. Kipyego and Winders finished as the seventh and eighth fastest collegiate runners, while the top four in the race timed in under the previous collegiate record.

The Cyclones continued to run to dominant season openers in the top-seeded section of the men's 5,000m with two top 10 finishes in the stacked field and three top 10 program performances. Sanele Masondo was the first Cyclone to finish in 13:20.30, cutting over 13 seconds off his personal best to move up from No. 5 to No. 2. Said Mechaal crossed the line right after in 13:21.13, a six second PR and now the third best performance in school history. The duo moved above Edwin Kurgat on the list (13:24.04), and only stand behind Wesley Kiptoo's 2022 program record of 13:14.74.

Freshman Joash Ruto made his first run on the track, clocking 13:40.73 to debut at No. 8 in Iowa State history. Fellow freshman Robin Kwemoi Bera ran to 13:48.51. Harvard's Graham Blanks, this year's NCAA cross country champion, took the win with the No. 2 time in collegiate history of 12:59.89.

The Cyclones are back in action next week hosting the ISU Holiday Invite at Lied Recreation Dec. 13-14.

Iowa State Results

Women

3,000m: 1. Bailey Hertenstein, Nike – 8:45.05; 16. Maelle Porcher, Iowa State – 9:01.17 (No. 3 ISU)

Men

3,000m: 1. Ethan Strand, UNC – 7:30.15; 11. Devan Kipyego, Iowa State – 7:49.62 (No. 4 ISU); 12. Silas Winders, Iowa State – 7:49.81; 48. Quinton Orr, unattached – 8:04.13 (PR)

5,000m: 1. Graham Blanks, Harvard – 12:59.89; 9. Sanele Masondo, Iowa State – 13:20.30 (PR, No. 2 ISU); 10. Said Mechaal, Iowa State – 13:21.13 (PR, No. 3 ISU); 40. Joash Ruto, Iowa State – 13:40.73 (No. 8 ISU); 63. Gable Sieperda, unattached – 13:46.60; 66. Robin Kwemoi Bera, Iowa State – 13:48.51

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Players Mentioned

Devan Kipyego

Cailie Logue

Sanele Masondo

Said Mechaal

Quinton Orr

Maelle Porcher

Gable Sieperda

Silas Winders

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics