Friday, October 9
Madison, Wis.
11:30 a.m.
University of Toledo
at
Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational
Freshman Purity Chepkirui finished fourth to lead Toledo to a program-best sixth-place finish at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational.
Photo by: Kieran Intemann/Indiana State Athletics
No. 20 Rockets Post Best-Ever Sixth-Place Finish at Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational
10/9/2026 2:59:00 PM | Women's Cross Country
Toledo finishes ahead of 10 nationally-ranked teams, including No. 5 Iowa State and No. 11 Stanford
MADISON, Wis. – The No. 20-ranked Toledo women's cross country team finished ahead of 10 nationally-ranked programs, including No. 5 Iowa State and No. 11 Stanford, with its sixth-place showing on Friday morning at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational.
"Today was an outstanding day for the Rockets," Head Coach Andrea Grove-McDonough said. "It's the highest finish at Nuttycombe we've ever had at Toledo and shows we can run with anyone in the country. Our entire lineup ran incredibly poised and so tough up that last k. We really showed our incredible depth. That's something we've struggled with in the past and is what all great teams have. There's lots to be excited about as we head into our Championship season."
Freshman Purity Chepkirui led the way for the Rockets with a program-best fourth-place finish in a field that included many of the top runners in the country. She finished with a time of 19:22.3 on the 6K course and was less than three seconds behind champion Judy Chepkoech of Florida (19:19.5) and runner-up Betty Kipkore of Iowa State (19:19.6). It was Chepkirui's third consecutive top-10 finish as a Rocket.
"Purity was just flat out fantastic today and continues to get better every week," Grove-McDonough said. "She really handled the pressure of the race with so much maturity and poise."
Juniors Melody Jebiwot (37th/20:06.4) and Dorcas Kiptanui (38th/20:08.1) registered Top 40 finishes for Toledo, with senior Lianna Surtz (62nd/20:28.4) and junior Bella Earl (73rd/20:34.9) rounding out the Rockets' scoring. Senior Karina James (80th/20:39.9) and sophomore Laura Acuna (81st/20:40.3) also ran strong races.
Toledo has two more meets prior to the Mid-American Conference Championships on Friday, Oct. 30 in Kalamazoo, Mich. The Rockets will compete at Bowling Green's Falcon Invitational on Friday, Oct. 16 and the EMU Fall Classic on Friday, Oct. 23.
TEAM STANDINGS
1. No. 9 West Virginia - 66 pts.
2. No. 13 Florida – 111 pts.
3. No. 3 Northern Arizona – 130 pts.
4. No. 4 New Mexico – 157 pts.
5. No. 16 Colorado – 166 pts.
6. No. 20 TOLEDO – 214 pts.
7. No. 17 Washington State – 263 pts.
8. No. 14 Utah – 277 pts.
9. No. 19 Missouri – 331 pts.
10. No. 5 Iowa State – 368 pts.
11. No. 22 Northwestern – 408 pts.
12. No. 11 Stanford – 417 pts.
13. No. 21 Minnesota – 421 pts.
14. No. 29 Penn State – 424 pts.
15. Princeton – 428 pts.
16. No. 23 Washington – 431 pts.
17. No. 24 Providence – 443 pts.
18. Oklahoma – 466 pts.
19. Tennessee – 492 pts.
20. Wake Forest – 493 pts.
21. Louisville – 499 pts.
22. Furman – 573 pts.
23. Gonzaga – 580 pts.
24. Oregon State – 588 pts.
25. No. 30 Boise State – 591 pts.
26. Michigan State – 616 pts.
27. UCLA – 627 pts.
28. Nebraska – 694 pts.
29. Air Force – 736 pts.
30. Harvard – 767 pts.
31. Georgetown – 803 pts.
32. Georgia – 806 pts.
33. Wisconsin – 810 pts.
TOLEDO INDIVIDUAL FINISHES
4. Purity Chepkirui– 19:22.3
37. Melody Jebiwot – 20:06.4
38. Dorcas Kiptanui – 20:08.1
62. Lianna Surtz – 20:28.4
73. Bella Earl – 20:34.9
80. Karina James – 20:39.9
81. Laura Acuna – 20:40.3
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"Today was an outstanding day for the Rockets," Head Coach Andrea Grove-McDonough said. "It's the highest finish at Nuttycombe we've ever had at Toledo and shows we can run with anyone in the country. Our entire lineup ran incredibly poised and so tough up that last k. We really showed our incredible depth. That's something we've struggled with in the past and is what all great teams have. There's lots to be excited about as we head into our Championship season."
Freshman Purity Chepkirui led the way for the Rockets with a program-best fourth-place finish in a field that included many of the top runners in the country. She finished with a time of 19:22.3 on the 6K course and was less than three seconds behind champion Judy Chepkoech of Florida (19:19.5) and runner-up Betty Kipkore of Iowa State (19:19.6). It was Chepkirui's third consecutive top-10 finish as a Rocket.
"Purity was just flat out fantastic today and continues to get better every week," Grove-McDonough said. "She really handled the pressure of the race with so much maturity and poise."
Juniors Melody Jebiwot (37th/20:06.4) and Dorcas Kiptanui (38th/20:08.1) registered Top 40 finishes for Toledo, with senior Lianna Surtz (62nd/20:28.4) and junior Bella Earl (73rd/20:34.9) rounding out the Rockets' scoring. Senior Karina James (80th/20:39.9) and sophomore Laura Acuna (81st/20:40.3) also ran strong races.
Toledo has two more meets prior to the Mid-American Conference Championships on Friday, Oct. 30 in Kalamazoo, Mich. The Rockets will compete at Bowling Green's Falcon Invitational on Friday, Oct. 16 and the EMU Fall Classic on Friday, Oct. 23.
TEAM STANDINGS
1. No. 9 West Virginia - 66 pts.
2. No. 13 Florida – 111 pts.
3. No. 3 Northern Arizona – 130 pts.
4. No. 4 New Mexico – 157 pts.
5. No. 16 Colorado – 166 pts.
6. No. 20 TOLEDO – 214 pts.
7. No. 17 Washington State – 263 pts.
8. No. 14 Utah – 277 pts.
9. No. 19 Missouri – 331 pts.
10. No. 5 Iowa State – 368 pts.
11. No. 22 Northwestern – 408 pts.
12. No. 11 Stanford – 417 pts.
13. No. 21 Minnesota – 421 pts.
14. No. 29 Penn State – 424 pts.
15. Princeton – 428 pts.
16. No. 23 Washington – 431 pts.
17. No. 24 Providence – 443 pts.
18. Oklahoma – 466 pts.
19. Tennessee – 492 pts.
20. Wake Forest – 493 pts.
21. Louisville – 499 pts.
22. Furman – 573 pts.
23. Gonzaga – 580 pts.
24. Oregon State – 588 pts.
25. No. 30 Boise State – 591 pts.
26. Michigan State – 616 pts.
27. UCLA – 627 pts.
28. Nebraska – 694 pts.
29. Air Force – 736 pts.
30. Harvard – 767 pts.
31. Georgetown – 803 pts.
32. Georgia – 806 pts.
33. Wisconsin – 810 pts.
TOLEDO INDIVIDUAL FINISHES
4. Purity Chepkirui– 19:22.3
37. Melody Jebiwot – 20:06.4
38. Dorcas Kiptanui – 20:08.1
62. Lianna Surtz – 20:28.4
73. Bella Earl – 20:34.9
80. Karina James – 20:39.9
81. Laura Acuna – 20:40.3
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