In the second to last race of the 2025 season, both Wichita State cross country teams made their way to cowboy country in Stillwater, Okla., to compete in the NCAA Midwest Regional on Friday. Three Shockers earned All-Regional team honors and one punched their ticket to the NCAA Championships.

In the women’s 6-kilometer race, Wichita State ranked 14th overall out of 32 teams, with an average time of 22:05.94. Leading the pack at the Oklahoma State University Cross Country Course was senior Lucy Ndungu, who had a time of 21:03.5. She placed 25th out of 235 runners and earned a spot on the All-Regional team. 

Next in line was freshman Mercy Jepkoech who came in 36th overall with a 21:24.6 time, followed by graduate student Sarah Bertry, who ran a time of 21:53.0, good for 65th place. Sophomore Faith Ekart and junior Francesca Alvarado ran times of 23:01.6 and 23:47.3, respectively, to place 151st and 158th. 

Rounding out the women’s race were senior Lea Jerkovic and junior Isabelle Hartnett, who placed 195th and 199th overall with a 23:47.3 and 23:59.6 time, respectively. 

In the men’s 10-kilometer race, the Shockers finished in eighth place out of 30 teams, with an average time of 31:40.68. 

In his first season at Wichita State, sophomore Elkana Kipruto finished seventh with a time of 30:10.0. In his comeback season, senior Adrian Diaz Lopez finished 15th overall with a 30:44.8 time. Kipruto and Lopez also earned spots on the All-Regional team, and Kipruto punched his ticket to the NCAA Championships.

In 42nd and 69th places were sophomore Kelvin Kipyego and senior Zander Cobb, who ran times of 31:47.8 and 32:27.8, respectively. Senior Jacob Meyers’ 33:13.0 landed him in 114th place.

Junior Jonah Allison ranked 131st overall at 33:38.5, while senior Cesar Ramirez finished the race for Wichita State with a time of 34:21.1 and finished in 162nd place. 

Select Wichita State cross country runners will compete at the NCAA Championships in Columbia, Mo., on Saturday, Nov. 22. The meet will stream on ESPNU.