Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney cross country teams finished third (women) and sixth (men) at the 2025 NCAA Central Regional meet Saturday in Joplin, Mo.

Missouri Southern State once again hosted the event on the Tom Rutledge Course with the women running a 6k and the men a 10k. The top 25 individual finishers earn All-Region honors.

The top three teams from each of eight regionals automatically advance to the NCAA's, held in Kenosha, Wisc. Nov. 22 (Saturday). Ten more teams (men and women) will be picked as at-large selections, with no limit to the number of at-large teams selected from any region. The committee first looks at regional fourth place finishers, then fifth place finishers etc., and considers the body of work throughout the fall. 

The top two individuals, and anyone in the top five at the regional meet, that are not on a member of an advancing team will earn a trip as well, in addition to eight at-large individual selections. Final NCAA selections will be announced on NCAA.com on Monday (Nov. 10).

The 19th-ranked women are headed to Wisconsin as they tallied 116 points. UNK's other NCAA appearance came back in 2022 when they finished 22nd. The regional place and point totals are program bests, surpassing the '22 (4th) and '21 (119) squads. Today, all five scorers placed in the Top 41 with only No. 14 Winona State, Minn. (99) and No.17 Pittsburg State (113) ahead of the Lopers. No. 25 Minnesota State (141) was well behind in fourth.

Kearney freshman Abigail Burger (13th/21:26.16), McCool Junction sophomore Kassidy Stuckey (15th/21:37.91) and Central City senior Ella Buhlke (17th/21:40.57) led the way and each earn all-region accolades. Buhlke is a repeat honoree and joins Morgan Benesch (2014-16) as the only Loper women to do so. Finally, Kansas freshman Lily Brewer (30th/21:58.78) and Omaha junior Noelle Abels (41st/22:13.54) were UNK's final scorers.

Overall, Emily McCullough of Fort Hays State led the field of 235 (20:32.59) with 35 teams scoring.

On the men's side, regionally ranked UNK came in sixth place with 166 points. All five scorers finished in the top 48 with No. 7 Northwest Missouri (72), No. 14 Washburn (104) and No. 19 East Central, Okla. (116) grabbing the auto spots. The Lopers have reached nationals in three of the last four years. 

This is the Lopers sixth straight fall in the top six with the point total the lowest in three seasons. Omaha senior Nick Abdalla (8th/30:49.8) earns his second all-region honor (2023) and hopes to receive an at-large bid to Kenosha. 

Lincoln sophomore Carter Hohlen (31st/31:36.8), Kansas freshman Drew Elliott (36th/31:49.1), Grand Island junior Juan Garcia (43rd/32:04.4) and Lincoln junior Nathan Johnson (48th/32:10.1) were UNK's other scorers and separated by less than 40 seconds. Finally, Northwest went 1-2 with Aziz Mohammed (29.53.5) pacing the field of 202 with 30 teams scoring.