TALLAHASSEE, FL – Damaris Kibiwot added to her already storied career with an All-American finish at the 2025 NAIA Cross Country National Championships on Friday. The sophomore clocked an LC State 6k record time of 21:44.3 to place 19th in the field of 331 runners. Kobe Wessels closed out his cross country career with a top 60 finish as an individual in the men’s race.
“We had a great day here in Florida,” coach Mike Collins said. “The team and individual results weren’t exactly what we were striving for, but we saw Damaris represent LC State with tremendous pride and earn All-American honors, and Kobe came heartbreakingly close.”
The Warrior women finished 26th as a team with three runners in the top 200. Kibiwot’s personal best made her the third Cascade Conference runner to cross the line. Seniors Camille Ussher and Grace Tiegs rounded out the Warriors’ top three with Ussher in 142nd (23:16.8) and Tiegs in 182nd (23:41.5).
Eva Lundgren, Kailee Lerew and Lily Bennett packed together incredibly close and finished 226th, 227th and 228th, respectively. Lundgren led the trio with a time of 24:12.1 and Lerew was less than a second behind at 24:12.4. Bennett crossed the line at 24:13.3. Freshman Lilly Gilbert was the final Warrior to finish at 291st with a time of 25:33.2.
“Damaris probably ran her best race of the year,” Collins said. “She put herself in All-American position early and never wavered, you could see the determination on her face. Camille and Grace got out well and held their spots for most of the race; we just needed to be 10-20 seconds closer to the front. Our freshmen learned a lot today, and I expect big jumps from them in the future. Lily Bennett has been improving every week, and today she was as high as our fifth runner until the very end.”
On the men’s side, Wessels earned a spot in the top 60 after holding a spot in the top 40 through the first 7000m of the 8000m race. The senior clocked a time of 25:29.4 to place 54th in the final cross country race of his career.
“Kobe ran a gutsy race,” Collins added. “He was within a few seconds of the All-American top 40 with 400 meters to go, but he had emptied the tank. I was hoping there might be one last splash of fuel in there for him, but I couldn’t be prouder of any young man in my 29 years of coaching. He’s a special athlete who has left a significant mark on me and on our program, and he has represented his home of Lewiston incredibly well.
“Sometimes as coaches, and in society, we forget that our job isn’t just about winning races or setting records,” Collins said. “We are here to help young people grow. Through athletics, they learn accountability, respect, teamwork and resilience. Of course, I work hard to help my kids win and reach their potential, but I also work just as hard to help them become strong contributors to their communities. I don’t need a scoreboard or a stopwatch to tell me I have a team full of winners. I couldn’t be prouder of our group today; those who competed here and those back home whom they represent. They gave everything they had, and because of that, we all got better. I’m already motivated for next year. Recruiting is moving full speed, and we’re looking to build a team that will continue to represent LC State in every way, and like any coach, we hope to bring home a little hardware too.”
