LAWRENCE, Kan. – Competing on the same course that will host the 2026 NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championships, the seventh-ranked University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's cross country team earned a third-place finish Sunday morning at the NCAA Division II Pre-Nationals meet in Lawrence, Kan. The Mountain Lions tallied 90 points in the 6K race, finishing just six points behind meet champion Colorado School of Mines.
 
INSIDE THE NCAA DII PRE-NATIONALS

• Course: KU Rim Rock Farm | Lawrence, Kan.
• Distance: 6K
• Elevation: 866 feet

 
AROUND THE COURSE

• Kylah Ricks led a field of 14 Mountain Lions with an impressive fourth-place finish, clocking a personal-best time of 21:04.3. Ricks was one of four UCCS runners to record a personal-best 6K time on the morning.
• Kate Henderson and Kseniya Nikanorov followed with strong performances, finishing 16th and 17th, respectively. Henderson crossed the finish line in 21:44.6, while Nikanorov recorded a time of 21:45.2.
• Emma Montoya, Elizabeth McQuitty and Madison Brosig finished within seven seconds of one another. Montoya led the trio with a 24th-place finish in 22:03.4, followed by McQuitty in 29th place at 22:08.7 and Brosig in 30th place at 22:10.4.

 
RACE LEADERS

• Katie Hughes of Newman University topped the individual standings, leading all 187 competitors with a time of 20:43.9.
• Colorado School of Mines claimed the team title, scoring 84 points in the 18-team field. Western Colorado University finished second with 85 points, followed by UCCS with 90 points.

 
BEYOND THE FINISH LINE

• Six points separated the three leading programs. The Mountain Lions also created significant separation from the rest of the field, finishing 54 points ahead of fourth-place Missouri Southern State University, which recorded 144 points.
• In addition to Ricks' personal-best performance, three other Mountain Lions recorded their fastest 6K times of the season. Ella Hopkins placed 42nd in 22:28.4, Mackenzie McIntosh finished 61st in 22:53.7, and Mazie Olkowski crossed the line in 89th place with a time of 23:31.8.

 
UP NEXT

• The Mountain Lions return to Colorado Springs to host the UCCS XC Open on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Monument Valley Park. The women's 6K race is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.

 
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 14 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.