AMC Cross Country Championship Preview

AMC Cross Country Championship Preview
November 5, 2025

Written by Bruna Niederkorn, AMC Assistant Commissioner

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The 22nd American Midwest Conference Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships are set to take place on Thursday, Nov. 6 at Willmore Park in St. Louis. The women's 6K race starts at 10:30 a.m. followed by the men's 8K race at 11:30. 

For live meet results, click HERE.

Championship Notes:

  • The University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy will serve as the host of the Championship, as it returns to St. Louis for the first time since 2020.
  • Both the men's and women's team champion will receive an automatic berth to the 2025 NAIA Cross Country National Championship, set for Friday, Nov. 21 at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Fla.
  • In addition to team qualifiers, the top-4 women's finishers not on the qualifying team and top-2 men's finishers not on the qualifying team will receive berths to the National Championship provided they finish in the top-15 and top-8, respectively, at that AMC Championship.
  • After the Championship, the AMC will host an awards ceremony in the Pavilion at Willmore Park.  The Conference will announce the 2025 All-Conference Team (top-10 individual finishers), Coaching Staff of the Year, Runner of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, and the Champions of Character Team.

Women's Notes:

  • Columbia holds the most team championships of all active AMC schools with six.  The Cougars are in search of their first title since 2021.
  • Columbia's Hailey Gerard currently holds the fastest 6k time on the season (22:23.2).
  • Four of last year's top-10 finishers return this year – Cottey's Madalenn Fee and Columbia's Gerard (6th while competing at William Woods), Nataly Gutierrez (8th) and Lauren Berhorst (9th).
  • 2024 AMC Runner-Up Fee looks to become Cottey's first three-time All-Conference runner.  She is currently the Comets' only two-time All-Conference runner.
  • Each school's top times this season (6K unless noted):
    • CC - Hailey Gerard (22:23.2, Gans Creek Classic)
    • COT - Madalenn Fee (22:28.0, Blazing Tiger Classic)
    • CRC - Aimee Buckley (25:31.3, Memphis Twilight Classic, 5K)
    • HLGU - Jordan Umstattd (22:30.4, Mikayla Sherrill Fall Classic, 5K)
    • UHSP - Ellie Creasey (28:14.5, Nike XC Town Twilight)
    • WBU - Marizenne Jonker (20:31.2, Lyon Invitational, 5K)
    • *CRC, HLGU, and WBU have not run a 6K race this season.

Men's Notes:

  • Columbia looks to repeat as team champions and capture it's AMC-record 10th title overall.
  • 2024 Individual Champion and NAIA All-American Kalieb Redda returns and enters the Championship with the Conference's fastest 8K time (24:19 at the Blazing Tiger Classic which earned Redda NAIA National Runner of the Week).
  • Two top-10 finishers from last year return in 2025.  Redda (1st) and teammate Gauge MacGregor, whose 7th-place finish earned him AMC Freshman of the Year.
  • The fastest 8K times from each school this season are as follows:
    • CC - Kalieb Redda (24:19.4, Blazing Tiger Classic)
    • CRC - Arthur Johnson (33.29.5, Mikayla Sherrill Fall Classic)
    • HLGU - Jose Soto (29.03.5, Mikayla Sherrill Fall Classic)
    • UHSP - Jack Wolfe (28:19.2, Mikayla Sherrill Fall Classic)
    • WBU - Gabriel Jones (35:35.6, Trojan Invitational)