After a home win at Gans Creek, the Tigers are ready to conquer new territory. On Saturday, September 20, the team will participate in the Greeno Dirksen Cross Country Invitational in Lincoln, Nebraska. With promising talent and an unknown course ahead, there will be plenty to unpack during the meet.
There will be multiple teams running during this event, according to Missouri assistant coach Kyle Levermore, who said, “If we get to run against an Illinois or Nebraska or an Iowa State, or a Drake or an Iowa,
to me, that’s fun and good for the sport to kind of have those friendly but also competitive rivals.”
The Course
The Mahoney Park Golf Course has been a community staple since it opened to the public in 1976, welcoming golfers of all skill levels and hosting a wide variety of golf championships and cross country events. Stretching 6,459 yards, the layout offers long straightaways with rolling terrain, and the weather forecast set to be in the high 60s creating multiple opportunities for runners.
Having never run at this course before, Levermore said, “The big thing for us is just to see the team running, to see if we can manage to work through the bigger field size, and give some of our younger athletes [room] to develop.”
How the team adapts to Mahoney Park could influence their performance at the upcoming meet, as they navigate a large field of competitors with varying levels of familiarity with the course.
Looking Back: The Returners
With returning runners coming back into the mix, the athletes will be able to showcase their talent during the meet and contribute to the team’s overall rotation. Building on that momentum, senior Drew Rogers, who performed strongly during the last meet, will continue to play a key role throughout the rest of the season.
“I like to lead by example and do the things that you need to do outside of the sport and inside the sport, and just kind of show the younger guys the way,” Rogers said after the team’s first meet.
Alongside Rogers, veterans Natalie Barnard, Rahel Broemmel and Ryder James built a strong foundation with their standout performances last season. Their experience and consistency will remain central as the Tigers look forward toward the remainder of the season.
“Some of those other guys, like Ryder James, and Austin Popplewell, they’ll make their season debut in uniform,” Levermore said.
Together, those returners provide a steady foundation built from last year’s success.
Young Talent on the Rise
Newcomers have also made their dash into the 2025 cross country season, including freshman Suzie Lecoutre, who won the home opener and showed strong early-season form.
“[I’m] just excited for our younger athletes to put on a lineup that I think displays some of our best,” Levermore said.
Some of the other younger runners have begun to turn potential into performance, showing noticeable improvement through consistent training and guidance from the coaching staff.
“I’m excited to see Maleah Eggers again,” Levermore said. “I think she’s way better than she was a year ago in high school, and I think she did a really good job with the opener and was getting training.”
As they head into their first away meet of the season, the new runners will experience firsthand what it’s like to race on a course they’ve never seen before. Their early performances suggest they could make a strong impression even outside familiar surroundings.
Looking Ahead
The team has started to move through the early parts of the season and is beginning to settle into a rhythm as they prepare for the more competitive meets ahead.
“It’s been a really enjoyable first month with this group and I’m looking forward to getting into a little bit more of a competitive season,” Levermore said.
The Tigers will face unfamiliar terrain and runners, providing an early look into how the team is shaping up for the season.
