Kirwa Wins NCAA 10,000m Title

EUGENE, Ore. – Mercyline Kirwa was crowned the 10,000m national champion while Betty Kipkore also reached the podium in the first day of NCAA Championships for the women. The 15 team points on the day puts ISU in second in the team standings through six events.

Kirwa used a 61-second final lap to beat out two-time NCAA champ Pamela Kosgei and two-time NCAA champ and 10K collegiate record holder Jane Hedengren to win in 31:54.88. Kirwa is the third women in program history to win the event, while it's the fourth total event title in program history and first since Betsy Saina won in 2013. The last time ISU had a national champion came in 2024 where Sydney Willits took the indoor long jump title.

The Iowa State men and women now total 45 national titles.

Kipkore remained with the leaders throughout the race, and went on to take fourth in a PR of 31:59.72, improving her time at No. 4 in ISU history. Kipkore is now a three-time First Team All-American. Both Kirwa and Kipkore return for the 5,000m Saturday.

Rachel Joseph is set for her fourth-straight NCAA 400m final as the senior grabbed a time qualifier with 50.97. Joseph finished third in the first heat, and with the top two in each heat automatically advancing, had to wait out the next two heats to see if she would advance on time. The 50.97 went on to be the fastest of the three time qualifiers.

Joseph is one of two women to have made the last four NCAA Championships 400m finals.

Makayla Clark raced next in 800m semifinals, and Clark went the fastest she ever has. The senior took down ISU Hall-of-Famer Edith Nakiyingi's 36-year-old school record of 2:00.88 with 2:00.29 for Clark's eighth school record. Eight is the most by any ISU man or woman.

Clark just missed advancement to the nine-person final taking 10th for Second Team All-America. All nine advancers had to break two minutes to move on. It is Clark's best finish in the 800m, and the fifth All-America honor of her career.

Willits closes her Iowa State career as a four-time All-American as the senior placed 20th in the long jump with 19-11 1/2 (6.08m). The finish secures Willits Honorable Mention All-America.

The 4x400m wrapped up the day, with Brooklyn Sandvig, Joseph, Emma Vorpagel and Clark taking 13th in 3:30.73 for Second Team All-America.

Joseph earns her seventh All-America honor, with the 400m final coming Saturday. Clark wraps up her ISU career as a six-time All-American. Clark joins an elite group, including Joseph, now made up of six women in Iowa State history to own six All-America honors.

Sandvig and Vorpagel earn their second-career All-America honor.

Men's finals are tomorrow, with Joash Ruto in the steeple and Robin Kwemoi Bera in the 5,000m.

Iowa State Results

Long Jump Final (W): 1. Alyssa Jones, Stanford – 23-2 (7.06m); 20. Sydney Willits, Iowa State – 19-11 1/2 (6.08m)

400m Semifinals (W): 1. Dejanea Oakley, Georgia – 49.93; 7. Rachel Joseph, Iowa State – 50.97

800m Semifinals (W): 1. Sanu Jallow, Arkansas – 1:58.89; 10. Makayla Clark, Iowa State – 2:00.29 (PR, No. 1 ISU)

10,000m Final (W): 1. Mercyline Kirwa, Iowa State – 31:54.88; 4. Betty Kipkore, Iowa State – 31:59.72 (PR, No. 4 ISU)

4x400m Semifinals (W): 1. Arkansas – 3:21.90; 13. Iowa State (Sandvig, Joseph, Vorpagel, Clark) – 3:30.73

Players Mentioned

Robin Kwemoi Bera

Makayla Clark

Rachel Joseph

Betty Kipkore

Mercyline Kirwa

Joash Ruto

Brooklyn Sandvig

Emma Vorpagel

Sydney Willits

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