Lemirisho, Bird Place in Top Five at Pre-National Invitational
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Kentucky Wildcats completed competition in their third meet of the 2026 fall season today at the Pre-National Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind.
The meet opened with the running of the women’s 6k race. Sophomore Ann Lemirisho led the Wildcats on the leaderboard for the third consecutive race, placing third with a time of 19:16.8. Doricah Minsari Isoe featured as the second Wildcat to finish inside the top 10 with a seventh-place finish at 19:28.6.
Janet Jepkemboi Amimo, Lyric Olson and Madelyn McCartney finished as the final three point scorers today for Kentucky, resulting in a 10th-place team finish, totaling 380 points.
In the subsequent men’s 8k race, UK finished 23rd among 44 teams with a total of 630 points. Ed Bird finished atop the Wildcats’ team leaderboard in fifth place with a time of 23:21.0. Collins Kiprop Kipngok was the second Wildcat to cross the finish line in 31st at 23:48.1
Eyan Turk, Sami Hattab, Caden Miracle and JT Hayes Jr. rounded out the Wildcats’ scorecard, finishing 113th, 238th, 268th, and 274th, respectively.
“I’m proud of our women’s races,” Coach Tito Medrano said following the event. “As a team, our women did a good job moving up throughout the race to finish 10th in a strong national field. Ann [Lemirisho] was outstanding getting 3rd overall and Doricah [Minsari Isoe] finished right with elite women getting 7th. Ed Bird put together a strong race to finish fifth in a loaded men’s field.”
The Wildcats’ next meet will open postseason competition on Friday, Oct. 30 at the 2026 SEC Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Mo. at the Gans Creek XC Course.
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Pre-National Invitational Results
Women’s 6k: (10th, 380 points)
3. Ann Lemirisho – 19:16.8 (3 pts)
7. Doricah Minsari Isoe – 19:28.6 (7 pts)
40. Janet Jepkemboi Amimo – 20:12.4 (40 pts)
159. Lyric Olson – 21:17.1 (154 pts)
181. Madelyn McCartney – 21:26.2 (176 pts)
303. Lily Parke – 22:42.6
Addyson Leigh Abner – DNF
Men’s 8k: (23rd, 630 points)
5. Ed Bird – 23:21.0 (5 pts)
31. Collins Kiprop Kipngok – 23:48.1 (31 pts)
113. Eyan Turk – 24:22.4 (112 pts)
238. Sami Hattab – 24:58.0 (227 pts)
268. Caden Miracle – 25:09.0 (255 pts)
274. JT Hayes Jr. – 25:13.8
Levi Kipkurui Bichii – DNF
Aidan Norris – DNF
