Notes: NCAA Midwest Regional

THIS WEEK
Iowa cross country heads to Ames, Iowa, for the NCAA Midwest Regional on Friday. The women’s 6,000-meter race begins at 11:00 a.m. with the men’s 10,000-meter race to follow at 12:00 p.m. The meet will take place at the Iowa State Cross Country Course. 

LAST TIME OUT
Leading the way in the women’s 6,000-meter race at the Big Ten Championships was fifth-year Miriam Sandeen, who posted a time of 20:57.6 and took 56th. Following behind were third-years Hillary Trainor (21:05.2) and Elena Torres (21:14.0) in 73rd and 83rd, respectively. Rounding out the first five were third-year Julia Gehl with a personal-best time of 21:53.4 and freshman Avery Rump with a 21:58.5. Sandeen and Torres recorded season bests as the women took 13th with 401 points. Fourth-year Luke Knepp paced the men in the 8,000-meter race, crossing the line 50th in 24:06.1. Coming in next at 56th was fourth-year Miles Wilson, posting a season-best time of 24:09.5. Third-year Kyle Montgomery (24:35.4) and second-year Owen Wolfe (24:47.8) followed, coming in at 78th and 88th, respectively. This was a personal best for Wolfe. Fifth-year Will Ryan completed the scoring with a time of 24:55.8. 

B1G HONOR FOR MONTGOMERY
Third-year Kyle Montgomery was named the Big Ten Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week on Oct. 21. Montgomery led Iowa to a sixth-place finish at the Bradley Pink Classic on Oct. 16. He paced the men’s team for the fourth time this season, running a personal best of 23:40.1 in the 8,000-meter race and finishing 30th overall. His new lifetime best ranks sixth all-time at Iowa. He was the first Hawkeye to win a weekly Big Ten award this season. Luke Knepp was the most recent Hawkeye to win the award, taking home the honor on Sept. 24, 2025.

2025 NCAA MIDWEST REGIONALS
The Hawkeyes posted three season bests at the 2025 NCAA Midwest Regional in Stillwater. Last season’s top runner, Elena Torres, led the way with a season-best 21:28.4, placing 40th overall. Hillary Trainor ran 21:52.8, and the women finished 16th in the team race. In his first 10,000-meter race, Luke Knepp recorded a time of 32:25.4 and was the first Hawkeye to finish. Also making his debut was Elias Arbuckle, who was the third Hawkeye across the line in 32:42.7. The men’s squad came in 15th place. 

WOMEN’S TOP RUNNERS
Third-year Hillary Trainor was selected for the 2026 Big Ten Runners to Watch list, and turned in a strong regular season, winning the 4K at the Hawkeye Invite with a personal best. She set a personal best at the Bradley Pink Classic and finished 19th. Fifth-year Miriam Sandeen led the way as the veteran of the group and paced Iowa in the 6K at the Redbird Invite and Gans Creek Classic. She was the first Hawkeye to cross the line at the Big Ten Championships. 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. 

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 led Iowa in the first four races this season. Montgomery was the Big Ten Athlete of the Week on Oct. 21. Fourth-year Miles Wilson made his return to the course and turned in a nice performance in the opener, placing third overall at the Hawkeye Invite. Wilson was Iowa’s second finisher at the Redbird Invite. 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 and set a lifetime best at the Bradley Pink Classic. He was the first Hawkeye finisher at the Big Ten Championships, coming in 50th. 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. 

INSTANT IMPACT
On the men’s side, newcomers Slader Buckheister, Reed Robbins and Aaron Yarbro have impressed, with Buckheister and Yarbro providing scoring at the season-opening Hawkeye Invitational. Buckheister also scored at the Redbird Invite, finishing 11th overall. Robbins scored with a personal best at the Bradley Pink Classic. All three freshmen posted personal bests at the Gans Creek Classic. For the women, freshmen Avery Rump and Noella Ross added points in their first collegiate race, finishing fourth and fifth for the Hawkeyes. Most recently, Rump was the fifth Hawkeye across the line at the Big Ten Championships, collecting points. Robbins and Ross were Iowa’s Big Ten sportsmanship honorees following the season.

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
Pending results at the qualifiers, the Hawkeyes will head to Terre Haute, Indiana, for the NCAA Championships on Nov. 21.