PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University men's and women's cross country teams will make their 2025 season debuts Friday (Sept. 5) when the Gorillas travel to Bolivar, Mo., to take part in the Southwest Baptist University Bearcat Invitational.

The women's five-kilometer race will start 9 a.m. (CDT) at the Bolivar City Municipal Golf Course, while the men's four-mile competition will follow shortly afterwards.

The Pitt State women captured their sixth MIAA title in seven seasons in 2024. The Gorillas were picked No. 1 in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll; and Pitt State is currently ranked No. 12 in the 2025 USTFCCCA/D2 Preseason Top 30 poll.

The Pitt State men finished as the MIAA runner-up a year ago. The Gorillas, who have claimed two of the last four conference crowns, were picked No. 2 in the MIAA preseason poll and No. 23 in the D2 national poll.
Both Pitt State squads qualified for the 2024 NCAA Division II National Championships with the Gorillas men placing a program-best seventh and the Gorillas women finishing 19th in the team standings.

The Gorillas hosted their annual Alumni Meet Saturday, Aug. 23, at Countryside Golf Course. Redshirt junior Dylan Sprecker claimed victory in the men's four-mile race in 19 minutes, 26 seconds, 19 seconds ahead of redshirt junior Tyler Atkins (19:45). Redshirt senior Travis Sickles finished third in 19:55.

In the women's three-mile competition, junior Paige Mullen claimed a narrow victory in 16:50, edging redshirt sophomore Hannah Gibson (16:52) by two seconds. Sophomore Lorna Rae Pierce finished third in 17:39.