Buffaloes Race in Gans Creek Classic as NCAA Preview
September 25, 2025 | Cross Country
BOULDER — The Colorado Buffaloes cross country programs are set to compete at the seventh annual Gans Creek Classic hosted by the University of Missouri at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.
The Gans Creek course will also serve as the site of the 2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. The two loop layout includes kilometer markers throughout, providing real time splits for athletes, coaches and spectators.
The women will open with an 6k race at 9 a.m., followed by the men's 8k at 9:45 a.m. Fans can follow live results [link]. The premiere race will feature 18 ranked men's teams and 11 ranked women's teams. Colorado enters ranked No. 13 on the men's side and No. 26 for the women. Eleven men and nine women are slated to compete.
For the women, several Buffs are making their season or collegiate debuts. Holly Barker, Georgia Bell and Ella Hagen will each line up in their first collegiate 6k after running well at the Wyoming Invite, highlighted by Hagen's team best 17:54.4. Bell crossed in 18:57.5 in Laramie and also added a 14:32.6 4k effort at the Gig Leadbetter Maverick Stampede, while Barker opened with an 18:18.6 at Wyoming. Juliette Forstrom, who competed for Portland in track, will make her collegiate cross country debut. Graduate transfer Ashley Jones is set for her first race in black and gold after competing at Tennessee, where she finished fifth at the 2023 SEC Championships and ran a career best 18:52.9 for seventh at the NCAA South Regional. Canadian newcomer Mia Larochelle, a former Nicholls State soccer player, will also line up after running 19:59.69 in a 5k road race in Lac Beauport. Veteran Abbey Nechanicky will compete for the first time this fall after placing 16th at the 2023 NCAA Mountain Regional in 20:13.7. Boston University transfer Hannah Prosser brings championship experience with a 19:58.1 performance at the 2022 NCAA Northeast Regional, where she earned All Patriot League honors. Jessie Secor, the only Buff to compete at the 2024 NCAA Championships, will open her season after placing 11th at the Mountain Regional and owning a personal best of 18:57.7.
The men's lineup also features a mix of experience and newcomers. Dean Casey brings postseason strength after running a career best 22:52.9 for 16th at the 2024 Big 12 Championships. Wilson Georges, who opened this fall with a 17:40.0 6k at the Gig Leadbetter Stampede, placed 53rd at last year's Gans Creek Invitational and owns a best of 23:24.9 from the 2023 Big 12 meet. Isaiah Givens, who clocked a 15:02.0 at the Wyoming Invite, holds an 8k best of 23:20.1 from the 2023 Big 12 Championships. Lukas Haug also raced at the Gig Leadbetter, running 17:40.0, and last fall finished 39th at the Big 12 Championships in 23:37.3. Freshman Jake Liebert will make his first 8k appearance after posting 15:08.6 in Laramie. Kole Mathison continues his second season with the Buffs after a career best 23:43.3 at the 2023 Wisconsin Pre Nationals, while James Overberg returns with momentum after setting a personal best 23:22.4 at the 2025 Big 12 Championships. Sophomore Grady Rauba, who opened with 15:13.7 at Wyoming, owns a career best 23:29.0 from the 2024 Big 12 meet. Charles Robertson, who ran 17:43.5 at the Gig Leadbetter, will look to improve on his 25:50.4 from the 2024 Nuttycombe Invite. Tanner Newkirk adds depth to the lineup placing fourth at the 2025 Gig Leadbetter Maverick Stampede with a personal 6k best of 17:43.7. Newcomer Dominic Serem makes his Colorado debut after transferring from Toledo and Oklahoma; he won the 2024 MAC Championship in 23:20.3, placed third at the Great Lakes Regional and owns a personal best of 22:43.9.
The Gans Creek course will also serve as the site of the 2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. The two loop layout includes kilometer markers throughout, providing real time splits for athletes, coaches and spectators.
The women will open with an 6k race at 9 a.m., followed by the men's 8k at 9:45 a.m. Fans can follow live results [link]. The premiere race will feature 18 ranked men's teams and 11 ranked women's teams. Colorado enters ranked No. 13 on the men's side and No. 26 for the women. Eleven men and nine women are slated to compete.
For the women, several Buffs are making their season or collegiate debuts. Holly Barker, Georgia Bell and Ella Hagen will each line up in their first collegiate 6k after running well at the Wyoming Invite, highlighted by Hagen's team best 17:54.4. Bell crossed in 18:57.5 in Laramie and also added a 14:32.6 4k effort at the Gig Leadbetter Maverick Stampede, while Barker opened with an 18:18.6 at Wyoming. Juliette Forstrom, who competed for Portland in track, will make her collegiate cross country debut. Graduate transfer Ashley Jones is set for her first race in black and gold after competing at Tennessee, where she finished fifth at the 2023 SEC Championships and ran a career best 18:52.9 for seventh at the NCAA South Regional. Canadian newcomer Mia Larochelle, a former Nicholls State soccer player, will also line up after running 19:59.69 in a 5k road race in Lac Beauport. Veteran Abbey Nechanicky will compete for the first time this fall after placing 16th at the 2023 NCAA Mountain Regional in 20:13.7. Boston University transfer Hannah Prosser brings championship experience with a 19:58.1 performance at the 2022 NCAA Northeast Regional, where she earned All Patriot League honors. Jessie Secor, the only Buff to compete at the 2024 NCAA Championships, will open her season after placing 11th at the Mountain Regional and owning a personal best of 18:57.7.
The men's lineup also features a mix of experience and newcomers. Dean Casey brings postseason strength after running a career best 22:52.9 for 16th at the 2024 Big 12 Championships. Wilson Georges, who opened this fall with a 17:40.0 6k at the Gig Leadbetter Stampede, placed 53rd at last year's Gans Creek Invitational and owns a best of 23:24.9 from the 2023 Big 12 meet. Isaiah Givens, who clocked a 15:02.0 at the Wyoming Invite, holds an 8k best of 23:20.1 from the 2023 Big 12 Championships. Lukas Haug also raced at the Gig Leadbetter, running 17:40.0, and last fall finished 39th at the Big 12 Championships in 23:37.3. Freshman Jake Liebert will make his first 8k appearance after posting 15:08.6 in Laramie. Kole Mathison continues his second season with the Buffs after a career best 23:43.3 at the 2023 Wisconsin Pre Nationals, while James Overberg returns with momentum after setting a personal best 23:22.4 at the 2025 Big 12 Championships. Sophomore Grady Rauba, who opened with 15:13.7 at Wyoming, owns a career best 23:29.0 from the 2024 Big 12 meet. Charles Robertson, who ran 17:43.5 at the Gig Leadbetter, will look to improve on his 25:50.4 from the 2024 Nuttycombe Invite. Tanner Newkirk adds depth to the lineup placing fourth at the 2025 Gig Leadbetter Maverick Stampede with a personal 6k best of 17:43.7. Newcomer Dominic Serem makes his Colorado debut after transferring from Toledo and Oklahoma; he won the 2024 MAC Championship in 23:20.3, placed third at the Great Lakes Regional and owns a personal best of 22:43.9.
Women - 6k Best Times
- Holly Barker - first collegiate 6k (no previous mark)
- Georgia Bell - first collegiate 6k (no previous mark)
- Juliette Forstrom - first collegiate 6k (no previous mark)
- Ella Hagen - first collegiate 6k (no previous mark)
- Ashley Jones - 18:52.9 at the 2023 NCAA South Regional (career best)
- Mia Larochelle - first collegiate 6k (no previous mark; road 5k 19:59.69)
- Abbey Nechanicky - 20:13.7 at the 2023 NCAA Mountain Regional
- Hannah Prosser -19:58.1 at the 2022 NCAA Northeast Regional
- Jessie Secor - 18:57.7 at the 2023 NCAA South Regional (career best)
- Dean Casey - 22:52.9 at the 2024 Big 12 Championships (PR)
- Wilson Georges - 23:24.9 at the 2023 Big 12 Championships (PR)
- Isaiah Givens - 23:20.1 at the 2023 Big 12 Championships (PR)
- Lukas Haug - 23:37.3 at the 2024 Big 12 Championships (season best)
- Jake Liebert - first collegiate 8k (no previous mark)
- Kole Mathison - 23:43.3 at the 2023 Wisconsin Pre Nationals (PR)
- Tanner Newkirk - 24:08.9 at the 2024 Geeno/Dirksen Invite (PR)
- James Overberg - 23:22.4 at the 2025 Big 12 Championships (PR)
- Grady Rauba - 23:29.0 at the 2024 Big 12 Championships (PR)
- Charles Robertson - 25:50.4 at the 2024 Nuttycombe Invitational (season best)
- Dominic Serem - 22:43.9 at the 2024 Princeton Fall Classic (PR)
Colorado is one of 32 teams in the field, including 11 ranked women's squads and 18 ranked men's squads. On the women's side, ranked programs include No. 2 Oregon, No. 5 Stanford, No. 6 Alabama, No. 12 Florida, No. 16 Michigan State, No. 18 Virginia, No. 22 Utah, No. 24 Lipscomb, No. 26 Colorado, No. 27 Iowa State and No. 8 Northern Arizona. Five of those teams also raced at the 2024 NCAA Championships, including BYU, Northern Arizona, Oregon, Stanford and Alabama. The men's field is highlighted by No. 1 Iowa State, No. 4 BYU, No. 6 Virginia, No. 7 Stanford, No. 9 Wake Forest, No. 11 Alabama, No. 12 Syracuse, No. 13 Colorado, No. 14 Northern Arizona, No. 17 Eastern Kentucky, No. 18 Washington State, No. 20 Princeton, No. 23 Tulane, No. 24 Air Force, No. 25 Ole Miss, No. 27 Michigan State, No. 28 Furman and No. 29 Tulsa. Thirteen men's programs return from the 2024 NCAA Championships, including BYU, Colorado, Eastern Kentucky, Furman, Iowa State, Michigan State, Northern Arizona, Ole Miss, Stanford, Syracuse, Tulane, Virginia and Wake Forest.
BYU swept the 2024 national titles.
Up next, Colorado continues its run to November, championship build at the Nuttycombe Invitational in Madison, Wis., on Oct. 17 before heading to the Big 12 Cross Country Championships at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence, Kan., on Oct. 31.
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