Missouri’s cross country programs are off to a running start in 2025, with both the men’s and women’s teams earning No. 4 rankings in the Midwest region in the USTFCCCA Week 3 poll. Early-season success has put the Tigers in the spotlight, signaling a promising rest of the season.
What’s New with Missouri XC
After beginning the season outside the top tier of regional rankings, the Tigers have continuously climbed that ladder. In Week 2, Missouri’s men had just cracked the top 3 in the regional poll, and the women advanced to No. 4 in the Midwest standings. Heading into Week 3, both squads now officially occupy the 4th position in the region.
Adding to the narrative, the men’s national and regional profile is on the rise. Evidence from last week’s USTFCCCA national coaches’ poll, the men are currently
ranked #20, the highest for Mizzou men since 1998, while the women’s team occupies #24 nationally.
“I told the team, it’s less about the rankings, more about the acknowledgement of progress, and we have been laying different foundational pieces each season, each cycle, for the last two years,” coach Kyle Levermore said. “It’s about acknowledging that, hey, this is another step forward and something that is a process towards our bigger goals, and it’s good to acknowledge those things.”
Week 3 Implications
With both teams holding No. 4 spots in the region means they are now realistically in the conversation for at‑large NCAA bids, provided they hold or improve in the upcoming meets.
As the early parts of the season run its course, the Gans Creek classic results were a good idea of how the rest of the season may look, given multiple other meets this season will continue to provide that at-home advantage.
How They Performed at Gans Creek Classic
Women (6K Gold): 8th place, 254 points
Freshman Monica Wanjiku led the way in her cross-country debut with a time of 19:35.1, placing 11th overall. Behind her, freshman Suzy Lecoutre clocked 20:00.0 to place 29th, and Kobi Walker ran 20:25.6 to take 59th.
Men (8K Gold): 12th place, 404 points
Freshman Elijah Limo led the team for the Tigers with a personal best of 23:13.0, finishing 36th. Senior Drew Rogers followed in 43rd with a time of 23:18.9, which was his second-best 8K performance in his Missouri career.
“Having really good women around each other and having really good men around each other takes the pressure off of them individually, and as we’ve added pieces, whether they’ve been transfers or international athletes, they will help the dynamic of the group,” Levermore said.
What’s Next
The next major checkpoint for both the Missouri men’s and women’s cross country teams is the Pre-National Invitational, set for October 18 at their very own Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo.
“The advantage now is that we can address specific weak points and prepare for the same race course,” Levermore said.
With that being said, the next meet after Pre-Nationals is the SEC Championships in Knoxville, Tenn. on Friday, Oct. 31. This meet will set the tone for the NCAA Midwest Championships at large in Stillwater, Okla on Friday, Nov. 14.
“We do still have to go run in Tennessee, we do still have to go run at Oklahoma State later in the season, but one step at a time in terms of the next three weeks,” he said. “It helps us address very specific strengths and weaknesses, which I’m excited about, because they support the overall goals and allow us to take a specific look at them.”
For more information about Missouri’s rankings, and to stay updated with the overall team, check out https://www.rockmnation.com/ and follow me on twitter/x at https://x.com/SophBleedsLA.
