The University of Idaho women’s cross-country team delivered a strong performance at the LC State Warrior Invite in Lewiston, Idaho, finishing seventh overall with six runners competing. The meet marked the final competition of the regular season for the Vandals as they prepare for the upcoming Big Sky Cross Country Championships.
The women’s team led Idaho’s efforts at the meet, with every runner recording her fastest 5-kilometer time of the season. The results provided momentum heading into the postseason, where the Vandals will look to build on their progress and compete for their team goals.
Senior Mary Nakamura led Idaho, finishing 12th overall with a time of 17 minutes, 53 seconds. Her performance came close to matching her personal record, which she set at the 2025 Big Sky Cross Country Championships. Nakamura’s finish gave the Vandals a strong result against the field and capped off a productive regular season.
Junior Pia Kircher was another standout for Idaho, crossing the finish line in 18:03. Kircher improved on her previous season-best time by more than a minute, showing considerable progress as the team approaches the championship portion of its schedule.
Freshman Micah Redding also recorded a personal best at the meet, improving on her previous fastest time by more than 60 seconds. Her performance highlighted the development of Idaho’s younger runners as they continue to gain experience at the collegiate level.
Fellow freshman Kadance Holso also contributed to the team’s result, finishing fourth among Idaho’s runners. The race marked Holso’s first 5K appearance of the season, making her performance an encouraging addition to the Vandals’ final regular-season outing.
With all six women achieving their fastest 5K times of the season, Idaho finished the meet with several individual improvements to carry into the postseason. The results reflected a productive end to the regular season, giving the team an opportunity to assess its progress before facing conference competition.
While the women’s team took center stage in Lewiston, sophomore Jaysen Rodriquez represented Idaho on the men’s side. Rodriquez finished near the middle of the field, adding another race to his season as the Vandals prepare for the next stage of competition.
The meet also served as a transition point for Idaho’s coaching staff and athletes. With the regular season complete, the team’s focus now shifts toward preparing for the conference championships. The Vandals will have two weeks to sharpen their preparation before competing against the Big Sky’s top cross-country programs.
Following the meet, Idaho’s coach emphasized the importance of the team’s progress while looking ahead to the postseason.
“Today we put finishing touches on the regular season and had some solid results. We’ll now switch gears and zero in on championship season which is right around the corner. Our team is focused on the Big Sky Championships in two weeks, with hopes of accomplishing our team goals.”
The upcoming championship will provide Idaho with an opportunity to measure its progress against conference opponents. Nakamura’s experience, Kircher’s improvement and the personal-best performances from Redding and Holso give the women’s team several positive developments to build on as it enters the postseason.
The Vandals will travel to Flagstaff, Arizona, for the 2026 Big Sky Cross Country Championship on Oct. 30. Idaho will look to carry the momentum from its final regular-season meet into the conference championship as the team begins the most important stretch of its season.