The Kenyon men’s and women’s cross country teams competed in the NCAC Championship over the weekend, with the men’s team earning second and the women finishing in fifth.

Men: The men turned in their best performance in two decades, finishing second at the NCAC Championship on their home course in Gambier. Competing against a tough nine-team field, the Owls scored 62 points, their best conference total since they won the team title in 2003. The result marked a step forward for a program that has been steadily climbing in recent years.

Joshua Breard ’26 led the way for the Owls, completing the 8K course in 25:43 to finish fifth overall and earn a spot on the All-NCAC First Team. He was followed by fellow senior Colt Murphy ’26, who finished in eighth place with a time of 25:48 to secure Second Team All-NCAC honors. Charlie Blackmer ’28 was close behind at 25:50, granting him ninth place and placing another Owl in Second Team selection. The three leaders gave Kenyon a strong front pack that helped the Owls maintain position the entire race.

Notably, Kenyon’s depth played a major role in their success. In his first appearance at the NCAC Championship, Caleb Low ’28 ran 26:12 for 16th place and Third Team All-NCAC recognition, while Charlie Menzel ’28 closed out the scoring with a 26th-place finish. Henry Rodrigues ’26 and Jackson Beemer ’29 were not far behind, finishing 27th and 28th, respectively, to round out the top seven. Several other runners contributed solid efforts that helped tighten Kenyon’s overall spread and highlighted the program’s depth across all classes.

John Carroll University ended up taking the team title with 24 points, placing five runners in the top 11, but Kenyon’s second-place finish firmly established the Owls as one of the region’s strongest teams and cemented a quick and effective rebuild. 

Women: The women put together a strong outing on their home course this weekend, placing fifth at the NCAC Championship. The Owls scored 145 points, showing consistency across their lineup. The meet also featured more conference history, as Ohio Wesleyan University captured its first-ever NCAC women’s cross country title with just 43 points (lowest score wins).

Anna Brown ’26 led the Owls and almost the entire field, turning in an outstanding performance to take second overall. She completed the 6K course in 22:27, finding her way onto the All-NCAC First Team and finishing just 16 seconds behind the individual winner. Brown’s race was a perfect addition to her senior season so far, as she continues to establish herself among the top runners in the conference. Following Brown, Olivia Ide ’27 crossed the line in 23:51 to place 25th, narrowly missing all-conference recognition but delivering another dependable performance. Lucie Prior ’28 continued Kenyon’s momentum, finishing 41st with a personal-best time of 24:36, another milestone in her collegiate career. Finishing up the scoring for the Owls were Cassidy Kaler ’28 and Hannah Gross ’27. Kaler posted a time of 25:10 for 55th place, while Gross finished 62nd in 25:34, helping lock in Kenyon’s top-five team finish. 

Up next, both teams will travel to Louisville, Kentucky, for the NCAA Regional Championship on Nov. 15.