Notes: Gans Creek Classic

THIS WEEK
Iowa cross country heads to Columbia, Missouri, Friday for the Gans Creek Classic at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course. The women’s 6,000-meter race is set to start at 8 a.m., and the men’s 8,000-meter race will follow at 8:45. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Hawkeyes competed at the Redbird Invite, with both the men’s and women’s teams taking second place. In the women’s 6,000 meters, fifth-year Miriam Sandeen paced the Iowa women to second place out of five teams with 45 points. Sandeen finished fourth overall in 21:25.4. Third-years Elena Torres (21:37.6) and Hillary Trainor (21:45.0) crossed back-to-back in sixth and seventh place, respectively. Freshman Avery Rump finished 13th, clocking 22:27.6, while fourth-year Clare Kelly placed 15th in 22:34.8. On the men’s side, third-year Kyle Montgomery fronted a second-place team performance (46 points) in the 8,000-meter race, finishing second in 24:28.8. Fourth-year Miles Wilson was the next Hawkeye across the line, securing 10th place in 25:13.7, followed closely by first-year Slader Buckheister in 11th (25:16.8). Fourth-year Luke Knepp (25:23.4) and fifth-year Will Ryan (25:36.6) closed out the scoring, taking 12th and 15th place, respectively.

B1G RUNNERS TO WATCH
Runners Hillary Trainor and Miles Wilson were selected as the program’s Big Ten Cross Country Runners to Watch. Trainor has scored in 12 of 14 races throughout her career.
She has finished in the top three of Hawkeyes in the first two races, including leading Iowa in the Hawkeye Invite. Wilson was the top Hawkeye finisher at the Joe Piane Invite last season, running a season-best 24:01.6 (8,000 meters). He was also Iowa’s top finisher at both the 2024 B1G Championships and 2024 NCAA Midwest Regional. Wilson set personal records in both races.

WOMEN’S TOP RUNNERS
Third-year Hillary Trainor was selected for the 2026 Big Ten Runners to Watch list,  and is off to a strong start, winning the 4K at the Hawkeye Invite with a personal best. Fifth-year Miriam Sandeen leads the way as the veteran of the group and led Iowa in the 6K at the Redbird Invite. Elena Torres finished first for Iowa in every race last season. She also ran multiple personal best times, ranking third all-time at Iowa and earning Big Ten Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week honors. Earning multiple Big Ten Women’s Cross Country Freshman of the Week honors last season, second-year Ella Magallan looks to build on a strong rookie campaign.

MEN’S TOP RUNNERS
Third-year Kyle Montgomery got off to a strong start, leading the Iowa men to a team title at the Hawkeye Invite. He also led Iowa at the Redbird Invite in the first 8K of the season. Fourth-year Miles Wilson made his return to the course and turned in a nice performance in the opener, placing third overall. Wilson was Iowa’s second finisher in Normal. He was tabbed as Iowa’s B1G Runner to Watch heading into the season. Fourth-year Luke Knepp led the men’s group in three races last season. His performance in the 2025 Hawkeye Invite placed him second all-time at Iowa, also earning Big Ten Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week later that year. Second-year Elias Arbuckle placed sixth in the 2025 Hawkeye Invite with a time of 18:09.0, ranking him fifth all-time at Iowa in his very first collegiate race. 

HAWKEYE NEWCOMERS
This season, Iowa welcomes five newcomers to the 2026 roster. Freshmen Slader Buckheister, Reed Robbins and Aaron Yarbro join the men’s team this fall. The women’s team added two new freshmen in Noella Ross and Avery Rump. Four of the five scored in Iowa’s season-opening Hawkeye Invitational. So far, the freshmen have made impacts, scoring points in the first two matches.

SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
Poor, rainy weather forecasts cancelled the Iowa State Invitational on Sept. 18 and forced Iowa to find a new meet to participate in. The Hawkeyes traveled to the Redbird Invitational in Normal, Illinois, and placed second in both races. Iowa originally was scheduled to compete at the Nuttycombe Invitational but will go to the Gans Creek Classic in Columbia, Missouri, this week in place of Nuttycombe. Iowa heads to the Bradley Pink Classic in Peoria on Oct. 16, a meet it has frequented over the years. The Big Ten meet will be held in Madison, Wisconsin, and the Midwest Regional will take place in Ames. This year’s NCAA Championships are held in Terre Haute, Indiana, on Nov. 21.

LOCAL FOCUS
Of the 19 athletes on the Hawkeyes’ cross country team, 11 hail from the state of Iowa. Spencer Alf and Aaron Yarbro come to the Hawkeye State from Wisconsin. Two more Hawkeyes - Marissa Long and Miriam Sandeen - are Minnesota natives. Ella Magallan (Texas), Kyle Montgomery (Indiana) and Elena Torres (Colorado) represent their respective states in 2026.

LINK UP WITH THE HAWKEYES 
For an inside look at the Iowa cross country program, “like” The University of Iowa Cross Country and Track & Field Facebook page and follow the Hawkeyes on X (@IowaXC_TF) and Instagram (@iowaxctf). Follow live results at hawkeyesports.com/tracklive.

UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes will have a break before returning to competition at the Bradley Pink Classic in Peoria, Illinois, on Oct. 16. Racing is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. at Newman Golf Course.