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. 2 Cyclone Men Earn Third-Straight Automatic Bid to NCAA Championships
11.14.2025 | Cross Country
STILLWATER, Okla. – The No. 2 Iowa State men's cross country team will chase a national championship next weekend following a runner-up finish at the 2025 NCAA Midwest Regional on Friday morning. The Cyclones had four runners place in the Top 10 while five earned all-region honors.
Joash Ruto (2nd), Robin Kwemoi Bera (3rd), Sanele Masondo (4th), Rodgers Kiplimo (10th) and Devan Kipyego (22nd) earned All-Midwest Region honors. Kwemoi Bera, Kiplimo and Masondo are repeat honorees while Ruto and Kipyego earned their first regional awards.
Ruto, Kwemoi Bera, Masondo and Kiplimo packed towards the front early, all among the first six runners through the 2K. By the halfway mark, Kwemoi Bera, Ruto and Masondo had taken over the top three spots as ISU trailed Oklahoma State by just three points in the team standings. With two kilometers to go, OSU's Denis Kipngetich had taken over the top spot, but the three Cyclones followed close behind within five seconds of the leader.
Iowa State stayed within striking distance in the team standings, just three points behind Oklahoma State. Kiplimo, Devan Kipyego and Quinton Orr all improved one spot in the final kilometer to help the team standings.
Ruto led Iowa State with a runner-up finish in 29:46.0 with Kwemoi Bera close behind in 29:48.0. Masondo ran third for ISU and fourth overall with a time of 30:01.5 while Kiplimo rounded out the Top 10 in 30:24.3. Kipyego finished 22nd in 30:53.8 to round out Iowa State's all-region runners. Allen Bonnesen finished 32nd in 31:19.3 and Quinton Orr wrapped up the Cyclone regime in 32:59.1 for a Top 100 finish.
Up Next
With the automatic bid, Iowa State will compete for a national championship next weekend in Columbia, Missouri. The men's 10K Championship is set to begin at 10:10 a.m. at Gans Creek Cross Country Course.
Team Results
1. No. 1 Oklahoma State, 38; 2. No. 2 Iowa State, 41; 3. No. 21 Oklahoma, 109; 4. No. 20 Tulsa, 117; 5. Loyola (Ill.), 187; 6. Minnesota, 211; 7. Missouri, 222; 8. Wichita State, 247; 9. Bradley, 247; 10. South Dakota State, 252; 11. Kansas, 282; 12. UIC, 372; 13. North Dakota, 415; 14. Oral Roberts, 420; 15. Iowa, 430; 16. Illinois, 436; 17. Illinois State, 444; 18. Drake, 523; 19. North Dakota State, 544; 20. DePaul, 561; 21. Kansas State, 568; 22. St. Thomas, 568; 23. SEMO, 647; 24. Creighton, 655; 25. Saint Louis, 682; 26. Eastern Illinois, 690; 27. South Dakota, 730; 28. Nebraska, 777; 29. Western Illinois, 849; 30. UNI, 852
Individual Results
1. Denis Kipngetich, Oklahoma State, 29:42.8; 2. Joash Ruto, Iowa State, 29:46.0; 3. Robin Kwemoi Bera, Iowa State, 29:48.0; 4. Sanele Masondo, Iowa State, 30:01.5; 10. Rodgers Kiplimo, Iowa State, 30:24.3; 22. Devan Kipyego, Iowa State, 30:53.8; 32. Allen Bonnesen, Iowa State, 31:19.3; 99. Quinton Orr, Iowa State, 32:59.1
Players Mentioned
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