Following an unforgettable day at the MVC Championships, the University of Northern Iowa men’s and women’s cross-country teams traveled to a familiar site for the NCAA Midwest Regional meet. On Friday, Nov. 15, UNI made the short trip to Peoria, Illinois, to race in their final competition. After a strong outing on the Newman Golf Course earlier this season at the Bradley Pink Classic, the Panthers relied on experience to end their historic season on a high note.
The women started the event at 11:00 a.m., again racing at the 6k distance. In a field of 33 teams consisting of mid-major and Power 5 programs, Northern Iowa placed 15th overall, a 14-place improvement from last year. UNI also beat in-state rivals Drake University and the University of Iowa. The Panthers avenged their loss to Drake in the MVC Championships, narrowly outpacing the Bulldogs by four points. The Northern Iowa women also bested a previous loss to Iowa in the Gans Creek Classic, defeating the Hawkeyes by 43 points.
UNI used solid pack running throughout the race to help achieve honest placements among a loaded field of 230 runners. Millie Hill was the first Panther to cross the finish line, placing 65th overall in 21:05.62. The senior trio of Melody Ochana, Emma Hoins, and Kate Crawford closely trailed Hill as the three completed their final race wearing purple and gold within 20 seconds of each other. Ochana ran 21:11.52 to finish 68th, while Hoins placed 76th in 21:13.96. Kate Crawford ended her cross-country career with a personal best, running 21:32.20 to finish 99th overall. Eden Mueller was the final Panther scorer, placing 129th in 21:55.71. Leah Klapatauskas and Brooke O’Brien concluded a successful day for the UNI women with 151st and 203rd place finishes, running 22:18.60 and 23:10.33, respectively.
Oklahoma State captured the women’s team title, narrowly escaping the Minnesota Golden Gophers by 15 points (61-76). Both schools automatically punched their ticket to the National Championship meet with their first and second-place finishes. Leah Jeruto of the University of Oklahoma secured the individual victory in 19:42.87, edging out Ali Weimer of Minnesota by about six seconds.
The Northern Iowa men took the course at noon, looking to end a remarkable season with one final performance. The Panthers finished 24th overall among 28 other teams, including conference opponents and large universities. With the transition to racing the 10k distance at regionals, preparing for an extra two kilometers of competition can be challenging. UNI boasted a two-spot improvement from the 2023 regional meet, highlighted by a top-50 individual finish and encouragement for the future.
Caleb Shumaker ended his record-setting career at Northern Iowa with a 50th overall finish out of 199 runners, his highest ever in a regional meet. Shumaker covered the course in 30:38.00, just three seconds away from his 10k personal record on the track. Leading the charge behind Shumaker was the quartet of Carson Owens, Chase Lauman, Brady Griebel, and Levi Hill. The four teammates set 10k personal bests, with it being Lauman and Hill’s first times racing the distance. Owens placed 138th in 32:03.33, followed by Lauman, who clocked in at 32:21.47 to finish 154th. Brady Griebel ended his cross-country career by placing 157th in 32:23.56. Hill rounded out UNI’s scorers by running 32:31.38 and finishing 159th overall. Drew Dombrosky and Micah Rees ran near each other throughout the race to place 193rd and 194th. Dombrosky earned a time of 34:16.63, while Rees ran 34:16.63 — both personal bests for the young runners. With just two seniors in Shumaker and Griebel finishing their time at UNI, the Panthers are looking to build on a promising group of freshmen and sophomores for seasons to come.
Like the women, Oklahoma State took the men’s team crown, beating Iowa State University 25-43. However, both schools will race each other again at the National Championship meet on Nov. 23. Denis Kipnegitch also claimed the individual win for the Cowboys in 28:51.46. Fellow teammate Laban Kipkemboi took second in 29:06.33.
As the chapter closes on the 2024 season of UNI cross-country, this group of Panthers leave their marks and off the course. A bright future is on the horizon for both the men’s and women’s teams, and fans should be excited for what’s to come. Thank you for joining me on this journey of covering Northern Iowa cross-country this fall.
