Cross Country Teams Gear Up for Key Races This Friday

Friday, October 17

Tuscaloosa, AL

9:20 a.m.

Tulane University

Crimson Classic

Cross Country Teams Gear Up for Key Races This Friday

Oct 16, 2025 | Cross Country

Live Results (Nuttycombe Invitational) | Live Stream (Nuttycombe Invitational) | Live Results (Crimson Classic)

New Orleans, LA – This Friday, October 17, Tulane University's cross country teams are set to take the next thrilling step in their season. The men's squad will compete in the 16th annual Nuttycombe Invitational in Madison, Wisconsin, held at the renowned Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course. Meanwhile, the women's team will race at the fiercely competitive 2025 Crimson Classic in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, hosted at the Harry Pritchett Running Park.

Men's Team Lineup for Nuttycombe Invitational

In the Men's 'A' Championship 8K Race starting at 12:30 p.m., Tulane will be represented by Bernard Cheruiyot, Silas Kiptanui, Illia Kunin, Rogerio Amaral, Gilbert Rono, Tommy Rice, Juan Giron, and Paul James Pam. Earlier at 10:30 a.m., Cooper Sorsen and Daniel Reza will compete in the 'B' Race.

It is a stack field for the men with 17 other ranked opponents including No. 1 Iowa State, No. 3 New Mexico, No. 5 Colorado, No. 6 BYU, No. 7 Wisconsin, No. 8 Notre Dame, No. 11 Syracuse, No. 12 Butler, No. 13 Northern Arizona, No. 15 California Baptist, No. 16 Michigan State, No. 18 Stanford, No. 21 Washington State, No. 24 Georgetown, No. 26 Eastern Kentucky, No. 27 Tulsa and No. 28 Harvard also on the course.

Women's Team Roster for Crimson Classic

The women's 6K race begins at 9:20 a.m., featuring Dorcas Naibei, Blezzin Kimutai, Petra Dos Santos, Alex Sharp, Haley Harper, Dana Rojas Vazquez, Reese Ragland, Elena Liano-Rengel, Janae Dean, and Allison Hall.

The other schools in competition for the women's include No. 13 Alabama, No. 26 South Carolina and RV Clemson. Two other American schools are also racing this weekend in Memphis and South Florida.

Ranking Momentum: Both Teams Climb National Polls
For the second consecutive week, Tulane's men's and women's cross country teams have earned national recognition, rising in the latest U.S. Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) rankings.

Men's Team: After an impressive 11th-place finish at the Gans Creek Classic—outperforming seven ranked teams—the Green Wave men have climbed to No. 17 nationally, up from No. 18 last week and No. 23 just a month ago. They also remain the No. 1 program in the South Central Regional for a second straight week, building on a preseason regional ranking of No. 2.
Women's Team: The women continue their upward trajectory as well, moving from No. 30 to No. 25 nationally. Their 14th-place finish at Gans Creek, where they narrowly edged out three ranked teams, solidified their position as the top-ranked South Central Regional program for the second consecutive week.

Recent Highlights and Honors
Tulane's strong season start has been marked by multiple weekly conference awards. Bernard Cheruiyot was named men's runner of the week twice (September 2 and 30), while Dorcas Naibei earned the women's athlete honor on September 30.

Season Spotlight: Gans Creek Classic Recap
Tulane's cross country teams showcased their talent and determination at the Gans Creek Classic in Columbia, Missouri, their first road race of the season.

Men's Performance: The Green Wave men finished 11th out of 32 teams in the 8K Gold race, scoring 365 points with an average runner time of 23:30.6. Bernard Cheruiyot led the team with a blazing 22:32.4—third fastest ever recorded on the course—finishing third overall. Silas Kiptanui (48th, 23:22.7) and Rogerio Amaral (94th, 23:45.7) rounded out the top three runners for Tulane.
Women's Performance: The women placed 14th out of 31 teams in the ultra-competitive 6K Gold race, narrowly missing a top-15 finish by just one point. Led by Blezzin Kimutai (42nd, 20:11.2) and Dorcas Naibei (44th, 20:14.1), the team averaged 20:37.9 per runner against a field featuring 16 ranked teams.

Looking Ahead
Next, Tulane's cross country teams set their sights on the American Athletic Conference Championship on November 1, hosted by the University of Charlotte at Frank Liske Park in Concord, North Carolina.

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