BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Penn State women's cross-country team punched its ticket to the NCAA National Championships with a second-place finish, while senior Nick Sloff of men's cross country secured an individual bid with a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships on Friday.
Women's 6k Race
The Penn State women secured an automatic bid after finishing second overall with 83 points, edging No. 29 Princeton. The Nittany Lions finished behind only No. 3 West Virginia, which claimed the regional title with 19 points.
The finish marks the fourth consecutive season that the Penn State women have qualified for the national meet, the longest active streak in the Mid-Atlantic Region and the second-longest in the Big Ten behind Oregon (six). The Nittany Lions will make their 27th appearance at the NCAA National Championships since 1981.
Senior Claire Zubey led the Nittany Lions with a 10th-place finish in 19:54.8, improving her personal-best time set at the Big Ten Championships by more than 20 seconds. Graduate student Katie Dallas followed in 12th with a personal-best 19:59.6, improving 19 spots from her finish at the 2025 regional meet. First-year Fancy Chepkoech came in third for Penn State and placed 15th overall in 20:06.1, improving her personal best by 20 seconds.
Graduate student Charlotte Costich and first-year Vivian Kipruto rounded out Penn State's scoring five, placing 22nd in 20:20.7 and 24th in 20:24.9, respectively. All five Nittany Lion scorers earned All-Region honors, marking the fourth consecutive season that at least four Penn State women have received the distinction.
Sophomore Eva Kynaston finished 26th in a personal-best 20:27.2, while first-year Reese Miller followed in 27th with a personal-best 20:27.9. The duo joined Zubey, Dallas, and Chepkoech as the five Nittany Lions to record personal-best times in consecutive meets.
PENN STATE WOMEN’S TOP SEVEN RESULTS (2nd – 83 points)
Place (Points) Runner Time
10 (10) Claire Zubey 19:54.8
12 (12) Katie Dallas 19:59.6
15 (15) Fancy Chepkoech 20:06.1
22 (22) Charlotte Costich 20:20.7
24 (24) Vivian Kipruto 20:24.9
26 Eva Kynaston 20:27.2
27 Reese Miller 21:27.9
Men's 10k Race
The Penn State men finished seventh out of 23 teams with 225 points.
Senior Nick Sloff led the Nittany Lions with a seventh-place finish in 29:54.6, earning his second consecutive All-Region honor. With his performance, Sloff also secured an individual bid to the NCAA Championships for the second straight season. Graduate student Ryan Watson followed in 20th with a time of 30:24.8 to earn his first career All-Region selection.
Sophomore Adam Kingston placed 46th in a personal-best 31:05.5, while senior Logan Strawser finished 71st in 31:24.1. Sophomore Isaac Oppermann rounded out Penn State's scoring five with an 83rd-place finish in 31:40.9 in his first collegiate 10K.
Sophomore Michael Braun followed in 87th with a personal-best 31:45.4, while graduate student Caiden Leen completed the Nittany Lion lineup with a 103rd-place finish in 32:04.8.
PENN STATE MEN’S TOP SEVEN RESULTS (7th – 225 points)
Place (Points) Runner Time
7 (7) Nick Sloff 29:54.6
20 (20) Ryan Watson 30:24.8
46 (46) Adam Kingston 31:05.5
71 (71) Logan Strawser 31:24.1
83 (81) Isaac Oppermann 31:40.9
87 Michael Braun 31:45.4
103 Caiden Leen 32:04.8
Up Next
The Penn State women's cross-country team and Sloff, representing men's cross country, return to action at the NCAA National Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, Ind., on Nov. 21.
Follow the Nittany Lions
Stay connected with Penn State cross country and track & field on Facebook (PennStateTFXC) and X and Instagram (@pennstatetfxc).