👟 Jayhawks set for NCAA Midwest Regional in Iowa City

LAWRENCE, Kan.- The Kansas men’s and women’s cross country teams will travel to Iowa City, Iowa to compete in the NCAA Midwest Regional on Friday, November 12. Races are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. CT with the women’s 6k, followed by the men’s 10k at 12 p.m.

The meet marks the fifth of six competitions on schedule for the Jayhawks this season, with qualifying individuals moving on to the NCAA Championships in Tallahassee, Florida on November 20.

To qualify for the NCAA Championships teams must finish in the top-two of their respective region, or be selected as an at-large qualifier. In total, 31 teams (18 automatic, 13 at-large) will qualify for the NCAA Championship meet, along with 38 individuals per gender who are not selected as members of qualifying teams. The top four individual finishers at each regional meet are automatically selected (each must have finished in the top-25 of the region). 

The Kansas women are led by sophomore Lona Latema, who earned All-Big 12 honors for her 10th place finish at the Big 12 Championship in Stillwater, Oklahoma on October 29. Latema has had a strong season to-date, finishing in the top-five at two meets this season.

The men’s team is coming off of a fifth place team finish at the Big 12 Championship, where they were led by sophomore Chandler Gibbens in 25:46.6, followed by Sam Hubert and Jake Ralston, who all finished in the top-40. 

Following the NCAA Midwest Regional, automatic qualifiers will compete at the NCAA Cross Country Championships on November 20. The NCAA will host a selection show on Sunday, November 14 to unveil the field of runners.