With the NCAA Cross Country Championships rapidly approaching, second-place finishes at the Mountain West Championships on Oct. 31 in Fresno are exactly the spark the Broncos need heading into regionals.
Both the men’s and women’s teams finished as runner-ups to New Mexico’s powerhouse of a team. The men’s team notched 72 points in the 8k race, while the women’s team recorded 41 in the 6k. The 2025 conference championships mark the third consecutive year the women’s team finished in second place, and the first time the men’s team finished in second since 2021.
The runner-up finishes for both squads could prove pivotal for the Broncos’ NCAA Championship hopes.
As of the most recent coaches poll, the men’s team sits at no. 29 in the nation while the women’s team ranks no. 23. These high national rankings could give Boise State clearer paths to the championships.
Before the meet, the Boise State men’s and women’s teams had never finished second in the conference championships in the same year. In total, the teams scored 113 points and had seven athletes finish in the top-10. Head Coach Pat McCurry spoke on what it means to have both teams finish runner-up.
“Runner-up finishes in the Mountain West Conference in our sport are national class finishes,” McCurry said. “To have both programs second to only a national powerhouse like New Mexico points to a great trajectory as we build this program.”
Individually speaking, Kaiya Robertson was the first woman to cross the finish line for the Broncos. Finishing in second place, she posted a time of 19:42.3, which tallied two points for the squad. Robertson, a senior, shaved over 40 seconds off her 2024 time.
In addition to Robertson, the women’s team had three athletes finish in the top 10. Amit Koma finished in eighth, Bianca Boehnke in ninth, and Abby Kendrick in 10th. The trio combined for 27 points, all finishing just over 20:00.
For the men, Meshack Kuyo, competing in the Mountain West Championships for the first time in his collegiate career, finished in third and tallied three points. The Nairobi, Kenya native ended with a time of 22:57.7 and noted his team-first mentality and race plan as key factors in his success.
“I was nervous at some points, but I know the work I’ve been doing and I trust what I’ve been doing,” Kuyo said. “I think I executed [the race plan] way better than when I started the season. Racing with the team helped a lot, too, just having that mentality of trying to score as many points as I could for the team.”
Posting a time of 23:02.4, England native Alex Thompson placed three spots behind Kuyo for sixth place. Patrick Kiprop (23:09.1), Trent Wigod (23:44.4) and Jack Sheesley (24:00.1) collectively totaled 63 points, with Kiprop finishing in ninth as the third top-10 male Bronco.
Meshack Kuyo spoke about what it means to not only compete alongside his teammates, but also to achieve success as a team.
“It feels so good once you step onto the finish line and five seconds later your teammate passes through too,” Kuyo said. “I’m not surprised because we know ourselves and know the work we put in. Everyone is waking up in the morning, showing up every day without missing any practice. It’s not easy, so still being consistent means a lot to me.”
As the Broncos prepare for the NCAA Regionals on Nov. 14, McCurry is confident in his team’s national qualifying hopes and expects them to continue their “incredible fight”.
“[The second-place finishes] are huge for national qualifying implications,” McCurry said. “Competitive fight is an absolute for any elite team in any sport. We’re thrilled with the growth in competitive confidence over just a year here with our new staff. Competing is starting to become fun, and that’s when things really change.”
