Women's Cross Country 11/5/2026 9:30:00 AM Chris Brannick

Bronchos Ready For MIAA Championships

Central Oklahoma Races Saturday Morning In Missouri

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Central Oklahoma begins the postseason with Saturday's MIAA Women's Cross Country Championships.

Northwest Missouri is hosting the championships at Griffon Cross Country Course. The MIAA men's championships will precede the women's at 10 a.m. UCO will take off on the 6k course at 11 a.m.

Central Oklahoma head women's cross country coach Daniel Nickell is taking nine runners to the championships and is ready for the challenge.

"We've had a good fall," Nickell said. "We've been able to accomplish some things this season that are better for our program and we're looking forward to continuing to do that at conference. We're ready for the challenge. It's a great conference with a lot of good runners so we'll see how it shakes out but we're looking forward to it."

Gabija Pukstas, Chloe Ezell, Lily Horvath, Lily Melton, Regan Jones, Rilee Shea, Ariane Williams, Maya Winterburn, and Hadlee Mann make up the Central lineup competing in the championships.

Central ran three 5ks this season and one 6k, its most recent race previewing the national championship course in Lawrence, Kansas.

Melton led the way there with a time of 23:01, recording the 12th fastest 6k time in UCO history. All three of her 5k times earlier this season were in the Top 15 in school history.

Ezell, who set one Top 20 mark in her 5k events, posted the 14th fastest 6k in Kansas a few weeks ago. She crossed the finish line in 23:07.

Pukstas only competed in two events this fall but she hit Top 20 marks in both. Her 5k time in Arkansas is the eighth fastest in school history and her 6k time in Kansas was 20th on the list.

UCO will compete Saturday for the conference championships. The Bronchos will return to the course two weeks later in Sioux Falls, S.D. for the NCAA Central Region Championships.

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Players Mentioned

Gabija Pukstas: Sophomore

Ariane Williams: Senior

Maya Winterburn: Sophomore

Lily Melton: Sophomore

Chloe Ezell: Junior

Lily Horvath: Junior

Regan Jones: Sophomore

Hadlee Mann: Freshman

Rilee Shea: Freshman

Players Mentioned

Gabija Pukstas
: Sophomore

Ariane Williams
: Senior

Maya Winterburn
: Sophomore

Lily Melton
: Sophomore

Chloe Ezell
: Junior

Lily Horvath
: Junior

Regan Jones
: Sophomore

Hadlee Mann
: Freshman

Rilee Shea
: Freshman