Completed Event: Cross Country versus Cyclone Preview on August 29, 2025 , , Men: 1st, Women: 1st
Final
Cross Country
Cyclone Preview
Men: 1st, Women: 1st
Iowa State University Athletics
No. 6 ISU Women Finish as Big 12 Runners-Up at Rim Rock Farm
10.31.2025 | Cross Country
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The No. 6 Iowa State women's cross country team earned its 15th Top 3 team finish at the Big 12 Championships since 2009 with four Cyclone women earning All-Big 12 honors. The trio of Mercyline Kirwa, Betty Kipkore and Mercy Kibet finished top 10 and earned their first All-Conference honors while veteran Maelle Porcher earned her third All-Big 12 recognition in as many seasons.
"I'm incredibly proud of the women and how they continue to show up each and every week," said Coach Cale Wallace. "Today was our first opportunity to show on a championship stage the kind of team we are, and they answered the call. Consistency is one of the hardest things to show in our sport and we are starting to see that every time we line up."
"The women's team ran incredible, Coach Wallace has been bringing this group along week-by-week and has done a tremendous job in just a year to put the women back on the map nationally," said Director of Cross Country Jeremy Sudbury. "This group will be exciting to watch as they prepare now for the NCAA Championships, the sky is still the limit!"
At the 1-mile marker, ISU followed No. 1 BYU and No. 7 West Virginia closely, trailing the Mountaineers by only two team points. Kibet led the Cyclones in fourth place at the mark with three other ISU runners lingering in the Top 20. By 3K, Kirwa had pushed to third place while Kibet and Kipkore moved to sixth and eighth respectively, but Porcher had dropped to 26th, moving ISU back to fourth behind BYU, West Virginia and Oklahoma State.
Kirwa, Kipkore and Kibet finished 5-7 to lead Iowa State while Porcher jumped five spots from 19th to 14th in the final 2K to help the Cyclone cause. Ruby Hughes was the fifth ISU scorer to cross the finish line in 20:51.8 for 41st place. Riley Beach (52nd) and Maya Ledesma (53rd) followed together closely while Becca Heitzig (66th) and Sydney Morrell (69th) were other Cyclone finishers. With 1K to go, the Cyclones began to surge. Kirwa, Kipkore and Kibet ran within two seconds of each other to pack spots 5-7 while Porcher moved back into the Top 20. Hughes reached the checkpoint 41st while Beach and Ledesma followed 52nd and 54th, respectively. The Cyclones still trailed BYU and Oklahoma State but were within three points of the Cowgirls.
At the finish, Kirwa, Kipkore and Kibet held their places while Porcher surged to 14th. Hughes followed in 41st but picked up only 39 team points while Beach and Ledesma rounded out the top seven Cyclones, adding 50 and 51 team points to propel ISU to the runner-up finish.
"My biggest takeaway for both (the men and women) is that our goals are firmly still intact and the focus now is on how we can manage the next three weeks in preparation for the Show," said Sudbury.
Up Next
Iowa State travels to Stillwater for the second time in three seasons to compete at the 2025 NCAA Midwest Regional Championships. The Cyclones are seeking their first team appearance at the NCAA Championships since 2023 and fourth in the last six seasons.
Team Results
1. No. 1 BYU, 38; 2. No. 6 Iowa State, 71; 3. No. 7 West Virginia, 86; 4. No. 11 Oklahoma State, 86; 5. No. 16 Colorado, 128; 6. No. 18 Utah, 134; 7. Cincinnati, 205; 8. Texas Tech, 262; 9. Kansas State, 276; 10. Houston, 322; 11. Kansas 348; 12. UCF, 351; 13. TCU, 364; 14. Baylor, 365; 15. Arizona, 407; 16. Arizona State, 496
Individual Results
1. Jane Hedengren, BYU, 18:29.6; 5. Mercyline Kirwa, Iowa State, 19:24.0; 6. Betty Kipkore, Iowa State, 19:26. 9; 7. Mercy Kibet, Iowa State, 19:27.2; 14. Maelle Porcher, Iowa State, 19:56.2; 41. Ruby Hughes, Iowa State, 20:51.8; 52. Riley Beach, Iowa State, 21:14.8; 53. Maya Ledesma, Iowa State, 21:17.7; 66. Becca Heitzig, Iowa State, 21:46.5; 69. Sydney Morrell, Iowa State, 21:56.5
Players Mentioned
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