University of Missouri
SEC Championship
Cross Country Earns Top-Five Finishes, Pair of All-SEC Honors at SEC Championship
10/31/2025 12:00:00 PM | Cross Country
The pair of fifth-place performances is the first time both squads earned a top-five result since 2018.
Mizzou cross country took home a pair of fifth-place finishes at the 2025 Southeastern Conference Championship on Friday morning at the Cherokee Farm Cross Country Course, with senior Drew Rogers and freshman Monica Wanjiku earning First Team All-SEC honors for their results.
The men's result marks the second consecutive time the team has secured a fifth-place finish and the second time since joining the conference in 2012. The women's result marked the program's best team finish at the conference championship race since 2019.
"The SEC Championship race is a game of inches, and I'm proud of how we competed today," cross country head coach Kyle Levermore said. "To have one of two programs with both men's and women's teams finish in the top five of the conference is a significant milestone for us. We continue to make improvements from race to race, and I thought there were significant steps forward from Pre-Nationals. This is a great start to the championship season."
On the men's side, Rogers notched a 23:29.6 in the 8k to secure seventh place, collecting an All-SEC First Team accolade to add to his second team honor from last year's championship. His result marks the third time in program history that a Tiger was named to the first team, most recently coming in 2020 by Kieran Wood.
"Drew has been the rock of this men's program and leads by example every day," Levermore said. "His results speak for themselves – another top-10 finish and five spots higher than last year's race."
Wanjiku paced the women in 20:02.2 in the 6k to place sixth in her postseason debut. Her result earned her both All-SEC First and Freshman Team honors, becoming the second Tiger in program history to claim both accolades, last coming in 2013 by Kaitlyn Fischer. Her sixth-place result marks the highest freshman finish in the SEC Championship since 2014.
"Monica is a rising star in this sport, and she's continued to show that when the lights come on, she's in the mix," Levermore said. "To be sixth at her first SEC Cross Country Championship is a huge accomplishment."
Graduate Austin Popplewell joined Rogers in the top 25 with a personal best 20:03.8 to claim 24th. Freshman Elijah Limo followed in 31st, crossing the finish line in 24:12.8 to mark the highest finish for a Mizzou men's freshman since William Sinclair's 13th-place result in 2021.
Wanjiku led the women to the highest championship result since taking third in 2019. Junior Suzy Lecoutre's 20:54.6 notched 33rd, while freshman Kobi Walker finished three seconds later to lock in 36th.
TOP TIGERS
• Freshman Mirriam Chepkirui made her SEC Championship debut, tallying a 21:00.2 to claim 38th.
• Sophomore Natalie Barnard notched 61st with a time of 21:32.3.
• Senior Ryder James claimed 37th, crossing the line in 24:18.1.
• Sophomore Carter Spradling earned a new personal best of 23:37.3 to place 54th.
MEN'S 8k RESULTS - 5th Place (145 points, 7-24-31-37-46)
Drew Rogers, 23:29.6 (7th) // Austin Popplewell, 24:03.8* (24th) // Elijah Limo, 24:12.8 (31st) // Ryder James, 24:18.1 (37th) // Tyler Freiner, 24:25.9 (47th) // Carter Spradling, 23:37.3* (54th) // Joshua Allison, 24:43.8 (60th) // Raymond Kipkoech, 20:50.3 (63rd)
WOMEN'S 6k RESULTS - 5th Place (172 points, 6-33-36-38-59)
Monica Wanjiku, 20:02.2 (6th) // Suzy Lecoutre, 20:54.6 (33rd) // Kobi Walker, 20:57.2 (36th) // Mirriam Chepkirui, 21:00.2 (38th) // Natalie Barnard, 21:32.3 (61st) // Rahel Broemmel, 21:37.8 (65th) // Allison Newman, 21:39.2 (66th) // Charlotte Cullen, 21:52.5 (72nd) // Maleah Eggers, 22:16.8 (95th) // Pheline Mining, 22:46.8 (118th) // Elissa Barnard, 23:00.8 (126th)
*denotes new career best
UP NEXT
The Tigers move into NCAA competition and compete next on Friday, November 14 at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship hosted by Oklahoma State at the Greiner Family OSU Cross Country Course in Stillwater, Okla.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For all the latest on Mizzou Cross Country, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, Instagramand X (MizzouTFXC).
Players Mentioned
