Ole Miss Teams Secured Top 10 Finishes
The Rebels cross country squads performed well at the recent Gans Creek Classic in Columbia, Missouri.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Track & Field
The Ole Miss cross country men's team finished 5th out of 30 teams at the Gans Creek Classic, while the women's team placed 8th out of 29 squads. The event, held in Columbia, Missouri, saw standout individual performances from Kidus Misgina and Alicia Finnis.
Why it matters
Strong performances in early-season meets provide a critical benchmark for runners as the program prepares for the upcoming championship schedule. These results help coaches evaluate current training strategies and team depth before competing at larger national invitationals.
Kidus Misgina placed 4th overall in the 8-kilometer men's race with a time of 22:42.6, while Alicia Finnis led the women's 6-kilometer effort in 26th place at 20:18.4.
The players
Kidus Misgina
He is a cross country athlete for the Ole Miss Rebels who finished 4th in the Gans Creek Classic.
Alicia Finnis
She is a member of the Ole Miss women's cross country team who finished 26th at the competition in Columbia.
The details
The men's team executed a strategy of starting behind and steadily increasing their speed, while the women's team prioritized maintaining a tight grouping throughout their race. Other notable finishes included Zack Gilbertson at 23:24.5 and John Shoemaker at 23:51.5 for the men, along with Addy Mitchell at 20:29.1 and Adrienne Luna at 20:34.8 for the women.
Timeline
Sept. 25: The Ole Miss teams competed at the Gans Creek Classic.
Oct. 9: The men's team travels to the Nuttycombe Invitational.
Oct. 16: The women's team travels to the Pre Nationals meet.
Oct. 30: The teams compete at the SEC Championships.
Season Trajectory
These results help determine the team's current standing ahead of the SEC Championships on Oct. 30. Competing against large fields provides essential experience for the athletes before they face conference rivals later in the season.
The men's team success at the 8-kilometer distance suggests they are successfully implementing a pacing strategy that emphasizes strength at the finish. Meanwhile, the women's pack-running approach will be tested further when the group faces the deeper fields at the Pre Nationals meet.
The takeaway
Maintaining tight group discipline is a key indicator of readiness for championship-level courses. Athletes can implement these pacing strategies to optimize performance on longer, more grueling race distances.
Further reading
For more on the current season performance, visit Track & Field.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Daily Mississippian.
