WICHITA, Kan. - The 26th-ranked Fort Hays State women's cross country team opened the 2025 season with a second-place finish at the JK Gold Classic on Saturday (Sept. 6). The Tigers collected 52 team points between the top five finishers, all of which placed in the top 16, putting FHSU six points in front of race host Wichita State.
 
Returning MIAA champion Emily Diercks won the individual title with a time of 18:11.1, six seconds faster than her nearest competition. The senior defeated 20 NCAA Division I runners in the process.
 
Ashlyn Harbaugh also cracked the top 10 in the 116-competitor field, placing ninth with a time of 18:58.1. Emma Weiner navigated the five-kilometer course in 19:18.8 to finish in 12th place, while Taylor Hoskinson crossed the line in 14th place with a time of 19:23.7. Freshman Esther Clark-Pavlovich made her Tiger debut with a 16th-place finish, completing the race in 19:30.5.
 
Division I Oklahoma won the team competition with 29 points after placing six runners in the top 11. The Tigers defeated three conference opponents in the process, including Washburn (fourth), Emporia State (seventh) and Newman (eighth).
 
The Tigers will make the drive down I-135 again next Saturday (Sept. 13) when they travel to North Newton, Kan. for Bethel College's Muthama-Rogers Invitational.
 
2nd - Fort Hays State - 52 points
1st - Emily Diercks - 18:11.1
9th - Ashlyn Harbaugh - 18:58.1
12th - Emma Weiner - 19:18.8
14th - Taylor Hoskinson - 19:23.7
16th - Esther Clark-Pavlovich - 19:30.5
24th - Keziah Bachman - 19:56.6
27th - Janae Fugitt - 19:58.0
36th - Abbye Hudson - 20:15.9
39th - Makenzie Premer - 20:27.8
41st - Cate Wiese - 20:29.1
42nd - Margaret Browning - 20:32.7
52nd - Brenna Murphy - 20:54.0
69th - Madelynn Nichols - 21:53.1