BOLIVAR, Mo. — Missouri Southern State cross country opened its 2026 season at the Bearcat Invitational on Saturday morning, with the Lions' men's team claiming first place and the women finishing second.
The Missouri Southern men won the four-mile team race with 26 points. Caleb Leach led the Lions with a third-place finish in a personal-record time of 19:03.93. Michael Kershaw placed sixth in 19:37.37, followed by Carson King in seventh at 19:39.08. All eight Lions competing in the race recorded personal records, with each also competing in their first recorded collegiate race.
The women finished second in the 5K with 47 points. Ava Power paced the Lions with a fourth-place finish in 18:58.57, while Rylee Simons placed eighth in 19:46.01 and Hadley Goins finished ninth in 19:52.65. Five Lions recorded personal records in the race, including Goins, Marissa Newman, Olivia Cole, Karlee Romans and Camryn Gildea, all in their first recorded collegiate race.
Missouri Southern returns to action at the Southern Stampede on September 19 at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course in Joplin, Missouri.
Men's Team – 1st place finish with a score of 26
Caleb Leach – 3rd – 19:03.93 PR
Michael Kershaw – 6th – 19:37.37 PR
Carson King – 7th – 19:39.08 PR
Brandon Hammett – 8th – 19:39.51 PR1
Kyler Gunter – 12th – 19:43.60 PR1
Gabriel Rodriguez – 16th – 19:56.09 PR1
Trevin Smith – 19th – 20:06.28 PR1
William Carlson – 27th – 20:55.31 PR1
Women's Team – 2nd place finish with a score of 47
Ava Power – 4th – 18:58.57
Rylee Simons – 8th – 19:46.01
Hadley Goins – 9th – 19:52.65 PR1
Marissa Newman – 12th – 20:03.99 PR1
Olivia Cole – 16th – 20:24.91 PR1
Karlee Romans – 22nd – 20:50.48 PR1
Camryn Gildea – 28th – 21:36.92 PR1
*PR1 denotes a personal record and the athlete's first recorded collegiate race.
