Kansas State University Athletics
Friday, September 29
Columbia, Mo.
9 a.m. (M) / 9:45 a.m. (W)
Kansas State University
vs
Gans Creek Classic
Women’s Team Finishes Fourth with Multiple Personal Bests
Sep 29, 2023 | Cross Country
The men's team finished in seventh place
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The K-State men's and women's cross country teams competed against a strong field in the Gans Creek Classic on Friday (Sept. 29) at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo.
With five women running in their first 6k, the women's team captured fourth place with 152 points. Nebraska won with 86 points, while host Missouri was the runner-up with 112 points.
The men's team finished seventh in the 8k with 241 points. Illinois took first place with 46 points, while North Florida totaled 76 points to place second.
Senior Hannah Stewart finished in the top-10 percent of the women's competition, finishing 20th with a time of 21:36.3, out of 227 final runners. Fellow senior Cailan Steward recorded a new personal best in 25th place at 21:43.9, four seconds faster than her time in the 2021 Gans Creek Classic.
Four other Wildcats found a spot in the top-50, including freshman Josephine Wanjiku (31st; 21:51.6) and sophomores Cecilia Fisher (38th; 22:05.6) and Grace Meyer (41st; 22:07.2) and senior Aubry Donley (50th; 22:18.4). Meyer ran in her first 6k after an ankle injury sidelined her half of last season.
Other top finishers included freshman Paige Baker (89th; 23:01.8) and junior Jessica Caraway (153rd; 23:52.7), who each completed in their first 6k. Junior Kate Kowalik (206th; 25:37.3) shaved almost a minute off her previous personal best from the Weis-Crockett Invitational last season.
Junior Tommy Hazen led the men's team for the second consecutive race, finishing 26th with a time of 24:45.4, five-tenths of a second from his personal best. Senior Kerby Depenbusch (42nd; 25:04.7) also finished in the top-50, while junior Jack Vincent (51st; 25:20.9) was just right outside. Juniors Kyle Johnston (62nd; 25:29.1) and Alex Gutierrez (70th; 25:33.33) were seconds apart in the front half of the pack.
K-State will compete next in the last regular season – the Pre-National meet – at the Panorama Farms Classic in Charlottesville, Va., on Saturday (Oct. 14) at Panorama Farms.
FROM THE HEAD COACH
Head Coach Randy Cole
On the men's team performance…
"We had some people under the weather – Matthew Hauser, Devin Chappel and Jacob Norris – so that hurt us with some team scoring but everybody ran pretty steady. The other guys were moving up pretty well through the course, little short of what we wanted to, maybe a few more key places higher, but a lot of the other guys made a step in the right direction as far as competing over the second half of the race."
On the women's team performance…
"Seemed like the temperature was rising every five minutes as the race approached, kinda got humid, but we got a steady fourth place (finish). People really moved up well, held tough. Josephine was running well in the top-10, but she caught a side stitch in the last K (1,000 meters) and dropped back, so that probably would have placed us higher, unfortunately. Hannah Stewart, Cailan Steward ran really well, they got up in there, moved up really well. Gracie Meyer, Cecilia (Fisher) and Aubry Donley were moving up through the whole race, so if they can continue to close the gap that'll help us a lot."
On half the women running their first 6k…
"They didn't really feel the distance, they felt more the heat, the humidity, so they didn't worry about the distance. But it is good to get one under their belt. Like the young guys went up to the 8k, it takes a couple of them under their belt just to pace it well. I thought they handled it pretty good, but I think they're going to be able to do even better, is all 6k's the rest of the season."
FROM THE COURSE
Senior Cailan Steward
On the women's team first 6k…
"I thought we competed well! Everyone seemed to move up throughout the race and finish strong. We have a lot of depth on the team this year which is exciting."
On a new personal best in two years…
"It means a lot. I was three seconds from a PR on this course last year, so to do it on a hot day like today makes me excited for the rest of the season!"
On the upcoming races…
"I'm looking forward to competing against national-level competition in Virginia in two weeks. It'll be a good preview of the competition we'll see at Big 12's."
MEN'S TEAM FINISHES (8K)
1. Illinois, 46 pts
2. North Florida, 76 pts
3. Texas Tech, 102 pts
4. Bradley, 104 pts
5. Missouri, 116 pts
6. Colorado, 215 pts
7. K-State, 241 pts
8. Creighton, 251 pts
9. UC San Diego, 291 pts
10. Baylor, 292 pts
K-STATE'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (8K)
26. Tommy Hazen, 24:45.4
42. Kerby Depenbusch, 25:04.7
51. Jack Vincent, 25:20.9
62. Kyle Johnston, 25:29.1
70. Alex Gutierrez, 25:33.3
111. Matthew Hauser, 26:13.0
130. Devin Chappel, 26:30.2
138. Jacob Norris, 26:40.2
146. Will Carroll, 26:46.6
WOMEN'S TEAM FINISHES (6K)
1. Nebraska, 86 pts
2. Missouri, 112 pts
3. Wichita State, 135 pts
4. K-State, 152 pts
5. Texas Tech, 178 pts
6. Kansas, 184 pts
7. Mississippi State, 202 pts
8. Illinois, 205 pts
9. Lipscomb, 274 pts
10. North Florida, 305 pts
K-STATE'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (6K)
20. Hannah Stewart, 21:36.3
25. Cailan Steward, 21:43.9 (PR)
31. Josephine Wanjiku, 21:51.6 (PR)
38. Cecilia Fisher, 22:05.6
41. Grace Meyer, 22:07.2 (PR)
50. Aubry Donley, 22:18.4 (PR)
89. Paige Baker, 23:01.8 (PR)
141. Helen Giefer, 23:44.9
153. Jessica Caraway, 23:52.7 (PR)
206. Kate Kowalik, 25:37.3 (PR)
How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on the K-State Track and Field and Cross Country Teams, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter, Threads, Facebook and Instagram.
With five women running in their first 6k, the women's team captured fourth place with 152 points. Nebraska won with 86 points, while host Missouri was the runner-up with 112 points.
The men's team finished seventh in the 8k with 241 points. Illinois took first place with 46 points, while North Florida totaled 76 points to place second.
Senior Hannah Stewart finished in the top-10 percent of the women's competition, finishing 20th with a time of 21:36.3, out of 227 final runners. Fellow senior Cailan Steward recorded a new personal best in 25th place at 21:43.9, four seconds faster than her time in the 2021 Gans Creek Classic.
Four other Wildcats found a spot in the top-50, including freshman Josephine Wanjiku (31st; 21:51.6) and sophomores Cecilia Fisher (38th; 22:05.6) and Grace Meyer (41st; 22:07.2) and senior Aubry Donley (50th; 22:18.4). Meyer ran in her first 6k after an ankle injury sidelined her half of last season.
Other top finishers included freshman Paige Baker (89th; 23:01.8) and junior Jessica Caraway (153rd; 23:52.7), who each completed in their first 6k. Junior Kate Kowalik (206th; 25:37.3) shaved almost a minute off her previous personal best from the Weis-Crockett Invitational last season.
Junior Tommy Hazen led the men's team for the second consecutive race, finishing 26th with a time of 24:45.4, five-tenths of a second from his personal best. Senior Kerby Depenbusch (42nd; 25:04.7) also finished in the top-50, while junior Jack Vincent (51st; 25:20.9) was just right outside. Juniors Kyle Johnston (62nd; 25:29.1) and Alex Gutierrez (70th; 25:33.33) were seconds apart in the front half of the pack.
K-State will compete next in the last regular season – the Pre-National meet – at the Panorama Farms Classic in Charlottesville, Va., on Saturday (Oct. 14) at Panorama Farms.
FROM THE HEAD COACH
Head Coach Randy Cole
On the men's team performance…
"We had some people under the weather – Matthew Hauser, Devin Chappel and Jacob Norris – so that hurt us with some team scoring but everybody ran pretty steady. The other guys were moving up pretty well through the course, little short of what we wanted to, maybe a few more key places higher, but a lot of the other guys made a step in the right direction as far as competing over the second half of the race."
On the women's team performance…
"Seemed like the temperature was rising every five minutes as the race approached, kinda got humid, but we got a steady fourth place (finish). People really moved up well, held tough. Josephine was running well in the top-10, but she caught a side stitch in the last K (1,000 meters) and dropped back, so that probably would have placed us higher, unfortunately. Hannah Stewart, Cailan Steward ran really well, they got up in there, moved up really well. Gracie Meyer, Cecilia (Fisher) and Aubry Donley were moving up through the whole race, so if they can continue to close the gap that'll help us a lot."
On half the women running their first 6k…
"They didn't really feel the distance, they felt more the heat, the humidity, so they didn't worry about the distance. But it is good to get one under their belt. Like the young guys went up to the 8k, it takes a couple of them under their belt just to pace it well. I thought they handled it pretty good, but I think they're going to be able to do even better, is all 6k's the rest of the season."
FROM THE COURSE
Senior Cailan Steward
On the women's team first 6k…
"I thought we competed well! Everyone seemed to move up throughout the race and finish strong. We have a lot of depth on the team this year which is exciting."
On a new personal best in two years…
"It means a lot. I was three seconds from a PR on this course last year, so to do it on a hot day like today makes me excited for the rest of the season!"
On the upcoming races…
"I'm looking forward to competing against national-level competition in Virginia in two weeks. It'll be a good preview of the competition we'll see at Big 12's."
MEN'S TEAM FINISHES (8K)
1. Illinois, 46 pts
2. North Florida, 76 pts
3. Texas Tech, 102 pts
4. Bradley, 104 pts
5. Missouri, 116 pts
6. Colorado, 215 pts
7. K-State, 241 pts
8. Creighton, 251 pts
9. UC San Diego, 291 pts
10. Baylor, 292 pts
K-STATE'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (8K)
26. Tommy Hazen, 24:45.4
42. Kerby Depenbusch, 25:04.7
51. Jack Vincent, 25:20.9
62. Kyle Johnston, 25:29.1
70. Alex Gutierrez, 25:33.3
111. Matthew Hauser, 26:13.0
130. Devin Chappel, 26:30.2
138. Jacob Norris, 26:40.2
146. Will Carroll, 26:46.6
WOMEN'S TEAM FINISHES (6K)
1. Nebraska, 86 pts
2. Missouri, 112 pts
3. Wichita State, 135 pts
4. K-State, 152 pts
5. Texas Tech, 178 pts
6. Kansas, 184 pts
7. Mississippi State, 202 pts
8. Illinois, 205 pts
9. Lipscomb, 274 pts
10. North Florida, 305 pts
K-STATE'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (6K)
20. Hannah Stewart, 21:36.3
25. Cailan Steward, 21:43.9 (PR)
31. Josephine Wanjiku, 21:51.6 (PR)
38. Cecilia Fisher, 22:05.6
41. Grace Meyer, 22:07.2 (PR)
50. Aubry Donley, 22:18.4 (PR)
89. Paige Baker, 23:01.8 (PR)
141. Helen Giefer, 23:44.9
153. Jessica Caraway, 23:52.7 (PR)
206. Kate Kowalik, 25:37.3 (PR)
How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on the K-State Track and Field and Cross Country Teams, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter, Threads, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
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