COLFAX, Wash. – In the first race of the 2026 season at the Cougar Classic, Evans Kurui picked up where he left off last year, winning the men's 8-kilometer race. Kurui set a course for the second-straight year, winning the Cougar Classic with a race time of 22:36.8. In the women’s 5-kilometer race, Millie Bii took first place running a 16:20.8 in her freshman debut.
“The kids did awesome on both sides; I’m impressed by our leaders but also the depth of our team," head coach Wayne Phipps said Friday evening at Colfax Golf Club.
The Cougar women’s team swept the top-5 with three personal bests. Freshman Millie Bii led the way for the Cougs with junior Lauren Hoyt not far behind her with a personal best of 16:35.9. Sophomore twin sisters Hailey and Aleeya Cossey finished third and fourth, respectively. Mercy Biwott rounded out the top-5 with a time of 17:01.3.
The Cougar men took four out of the top-5 spots with Kurui leading the way. Solomon Kipchoge finished second with a time of 22:50.3. Junior Kutoven Stevens finished third, and sophomore Kade Brownell finished fifth, both setting personal records in their Cougar Classic debuts.
The Cougs will be in action at the John McNichols Invitational, Saturday, September 19, at LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Indiana. The first race will start at 8:30 a.m. CT.
Womens 5-kilometer
Millie Bii 16:20.8
Lauren Hoyt 16:35.9 [PB]
Hailey Cossey 16:51.8 [PB]
Aleeya Cossey 16:54.5 [PB]
Mercy Biwott 17:01.3
Jaylyn Lehner 17:27.1 [PB]
Sabrina Colbert 17:39
Evelina Sitnika 17:43.5 [PB]
Sophie Hutchinson 17:51
Zoe Corder 18:12.4
Mens 8-Kilometer
Evans Kurui 22:36.8
Solomon Kipchoge 22:50.3
Kutoven Stevens 23:10.1 [PB]
Kaden Brownell 23:51.6 [PB]
Eric Swedin 24:14.7 [PB]
Grayson Wilcott 24:26.6 [PB]
Evan Bruce 24:56.3
Aiden Emerson 25:02.1 [PB]
Micaiah Aden 25:35.4
Jonah Wiser 25:39.2