Logue becomes Cyclones’ first female athlete to capture three individual conference crowns; Kiptoo follows Kurgat to also make it three in a row for Iowa State men, but Oklahoma State prevails in thrilling tiebreaker in team battle 

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

For the third consecutive year, the Big 12 individual championships were swept by Iowa State, highlighted by a memorable trifecta by senior Cailie Logue.

But new team titles were awarded in both genders Friday, including the Oklahoma State men’s team prevailing over Iowa State on a thrilling tiebreaker.

Logue became the first Iowa State female athlete in the Big Eight or Big 12 to win three individual crowns, with junior college transfer Wesley Kiptoo following the past two titles achieved by Edwin Kurgat by securing his first conference championship at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence, Kan.

Although Kiptoo covered the 8-kilometer layout in 22 minutes, 35.4 seconds and Festus Lagat took third in 23:26.1 for the Cyclones to prevail head to head with their first two scorers against Oklahoma State, the Cowboys responded by finishing one spot ahead Iowa State at each of the next three scoring positions to triumph in the first tiebreaker in Big 12 championship history after the teams ran to a 31-31 result.

RESULTS

Isai Rodriguez was second for Oklahoma State in 22:49.3 and Victor Shitsama earned conference freshman of the year honors by placing fifth in 23:27.1, but it was the depth of Alex Maier (23:28.7) taking sixth, Ryan Smeeton (23:32) finishing eighth and Ryan Schoppe (23:36.7) securing 10th that allowed the Cowboys to capture their first men’s team title since 2016 and 10th overall.

Chad Johnson (23:31.7) was seventh, Mitchell Day (23:33.5) took ninth and Thomas Pollard (23:42.1) finished 11th for Iowa State, which was looking to win a fourth consecutive team championship.

Haftu Knight was the only Texas athlete to place in the top 10, finishing fourth in 23:27 to help the Longhorns secure third overall with 84 points.

Logue won the women’s 6-kilometer race in 20:00.5, leading five Cyclones in the top 18 to help Iowa State capture an eighth team title in the past 10 years with a 39-62 victory over Texas.

Iowa State won eight women’s team championships in the Big Eight from 1975-90 and has now equaled that total in the span of a decade in the Big 12.

Brenna Cohoon earned conference freshman of the year honors for the Cyclones by placing fifth in 21:11.5, with Winrose Chesang (21:13.7) and Dana Feyen (21:21) finishing seventh and eighth. Janette Schraft took 18th in 21:46 to help Iowa State secure the victory after Texas had its five scorers in the top 16.

Beth Ramos was sixth for the Longhorns in an identical mark to Cohoon by clocking 21:11.5, with Ava Peeples (21:28) placing 12th and Claudine Blancaflor (21:28.5) securing 13th for Texas, which had Gracie Morris and Madeline Vondra finish 15th and 16th, both in 21:35.4.

Sophomore Ceili McCabe (20:55.9) took fourth for third-place West Virginia, which had 66 points.

Oklahoma State sophomores Taylor Roe (20:07.8) and Gabby Hentemann (20:48.4) finished second and third, helping last year’s team champions finish fourth with 71 points.

Kansas State placed fifth with 134 points, led by Jaybe Shufelberger securing ninth in 21:22.6.