Women's Cross Country Claims MIAA Championship, Men Finish Fourth

Women's Cross Country Claims MIAA Championship, Men Finish Fourth 11.07.26 ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Missouri Southern women's cross country captured the 2026 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Championship on Saturday at the Griffon Cross Country Course, while the men's team placed fourth. The 2026 conference championships were hosted by Northwest Missouri State. The women's team claimed its eighth MIAA team championship in program history with 60 points, marking the program's first conference title since 2014, when the Lions won with 44 points. Ruth Chemutai led the way, winning the individual 6K championship with a time of 20:32.0. Chemutai recorded a personal record and earned All-MIAA First Team honors with the victory. She became the first Missouri Southern women's runner to win the individual MIAA championship since Kimi Shank-Reed in 2009. Shank captured the 6K individual title with a time of 21:01.07. Viola Johanson followed in 11th place with a personal-best time of 21:44.8, while Lilah Genel finished 12th in 21:46.3. Both earned All-MIAA Honorable Mention honors. Kyla Weems placed 16th in 22:01.1, and Abbey Brackenbury rounded out the scoring five in 20th p...