The University of Kentucky cross country teams kicked off their season with impressive performances at the Southern Showcase in Huntsville, Alabama. Freshman Collins Kiprop Kipngok shone in his collegiate debut, finishing fifth in the Men’s 8k and leading the Wildcats to a fourth-place team finish. Junior Ally Kruger continued her strong form, securing a top-20 finish in the Women’s 5k and guiding the women’s team to a sixth-place result.
The Southern Showcase, hosted by Jacksonville State at John Hunt Park, featured 457 runners across 47 men’s and 49 women’s teams. The meet is significant as the first day’s results are countable towards NCAA selection and attracts top runners from the southeast.
Following a 90-minute delay due to weather from Hurricane Francine, the Men’s 8k race commenced. Kiprop Kipngok, a Kenyan freshman, quickly positioned himself among the leaders. Although he fell off the pace in the final kilometers, he finished strong with a time of 23:45.86, placing fifth.
Senior Jackson Watts and sophomore Alex Alston also delivered notable performances, finishing 24th and 28th, respectively. Senior transfer Jack Pendergast contributed with a 39th-place finish, while sophomore Caden Miracle rounded out the scoring team in 51st place. Max Liao and William Russell, both making their debuts, finished 71st and 78th.
As a team, the men’s squad scored 142 points to finish fourth, matching their result from the previous season. They placed ahead of SEC programs Georgia and Vanderbilt, as well as in-state rival Louisville. No. 9 Alabama won the team title, followed by Belmont and Georgia Tech.
In the Women’s 5k, Ally Kruger led the Wildcats with a time of 17:14.03, finishing 19th. This marks her second consecutive top-20 finish at the Southern Showcase, following a sixth-place result last year. Senior Phoebe McCowan and freshman Chesney McPherson also ran well, finishing 29th and 33rd, respectively. Ava Hendren, in her collegiate debut, finished 54th, and Jenna Schwinghammer completed the scoring with a 65th-place finish.
The women’s team finished sixth with 185 points, outpacing SEC rivals Mississippi State, Georgia, and Auburn. No. 12 Alabama won the Women’s 5k, followed by Louisville, Georgia Tech, Belmont, and Vanderbilt.
The Wildcats will next compete at the Gans Creek Classic on September 27, hosted by Missouri at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course, the future site of the 2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.
Kentucky Results:
Men’s Team – 4th, 142 points
5. Collins Kiprop Kipngok – 23:45.86 – 5 points
24. Jackson Watts – 24:36.19 – 24 points
28. Alex Alston – 24:39.07 – 28 points
39. Jack Pendergast – 24:49.20 – 37 points
51. Caden Miracle – 24:57.45 – 48 points
71. Max Liao – 25:18.42
78. William Russell – 25:23.22
100. Sami Hattab – 25:36.68
127. Caden Weber – 25:47.98
133. Theo Bachmann – 25:52.35
168. Cade Byer – 26:14.90
Women’s Team – 6th, 185 points
19. Ally Kruger – 17:14.03 – 18 points
29. Phoebe McCowan – 17:19.96 – 28 points
33. Chesney McPherson – 17:28.60 – 32 points
54. Ava Hendren – 17:50.18 – 49 points
65. Jenna Schwinghammer – 17:57.18 – 58 points
67. Jayla Atkinson – 17:58.17
68. Julz Williams – 17:58.72
75. Lyric Olson – 18:02.78
96. Morgan Dick – 18:16.73
101. Mollie Roden – 18:19.23
126. Elly Heine – 18:35.44
129. Baylor Wolfe – 18:37.14
137. Clara Heppner – 18:40.27
184. Noel Barlette – 19:06.80
206. Aubree Hay – 19:25.25
