The Cottey Cross Country team headed to Columbia, MO to compete at the Gans Creek Classic on Friday morning. The race attracts some of the top teams in the country, including many Division I top squads. The Comets were competing in the 6K Womens Open race, their first full 6K race of the season. This Gans Creek course will be host of the NAIA Cross Country National Championships later this fall.

With  a pedigree like that, the course attracted close to 30 teams for the Open race. Due to the nature of various divisions competing, no team results were kept in the Open race. The Comets had their top finisher in Madalenn Fee, who finished in 22:37, staying with the first pack of runners throughout the race. Sophomore Avery Morris got bunched up early with hundreds of other runners, but steadily moved up throughout the race, passing close to twenty competitors. She finished in 24:48, a strong performance from the reigning AMC Freshman of the Year. Kate Soukup had a solid race, running a 25:35 and setting her up for the rest of the year. Joliette Johnson had a quality race to be the fourth Comet over the line, finishing just behind in 25:40. The fifth finisher for the Comets was Senior Mikaela Fabey, finishing in 25:54. 

The Comets now have a brief break before competing at the Haskell Invitational on October 12th.