AUGUSTA, Kan. – Rebekah Topham led the women to a team title, winning her fourth consecutive individual title, while the Shocker men placed second with 30 points.
 
Redshirt junior Rebekah Topham became the first athlete, male or female, to win the J.K. Gold Classic individual title four times. Topahm finished the 4K (2.49 miles) course in 13:48.3, leading the women to a team title for the third time in four seasons.
 
"To do it four times in a row is pretty amazing," said head cross country coach Kirk Hunter. "She had to work for it today. Winny [Koskei] was out there pushing and you could see those two were battling."
 
The women finished five in the top 10, including 1-2-3. Topham finished first, followed by sophomore Winny Koskei in second (13:49.9), junior Winnie Kibet in third (14:32.7), sophomore Rita Schnacker in seventh (14:40.5) and sophomore Yazmine Wright in 10th (14:49.6).
 
"Our team is looking great this year," said Topham. "I was really excited to see how everyone would do in our season opener. Winny and I had a strategy to run together and then push it at the end. This race is a nice training block to see where we are at right now and helps us prepare for bigger races down the road."
 
Competing unattached, Halle Johnson finished 14th (15:02.1), followed by fellow freshman Destini Eskridge in 16th (15:10.2) and McKenna Paintin in 19th (15:28.7).
 
Other Shocker women in the top 20 include Suzie Garcia in 18th (15:20.6) and Katie Cumpston finishing 20th with a time of 15:30.9.
 
Redshirt junior Zack Penrod finished second overall, behind unattached runner Joe Moore winning the individual title with a time of 18:15.6.
 
The men's team scored a total of 30 points finishing second behind in-state rival and Big 12 opponent Kansas State. The Wildcats take home their first J.K. Gold Classic team title since 2010, while snapping the Shockers six-year streak.
 
Three Shockers finished in the top 10, including Penrod in second (18:55.5), Clayton Duchatschek in third (18:59.7) and Cory Landon in 10th (19:12.3). Senior Pedro Montoya scored nine points finishing 11th overall with a time of 19:13.0, followed by Sean Curran in 12th with 10 points (19:14.1) and Josh Klein in 13th (19:25.6). Alex Moen rounded out the top-15 finishing with a time of 19:38.7.
 
Unattached runners from Wichita State include fourth place overall finisher Nathan Wickoren (19:02.6), Jed Helker in 14th (19:30.3) and Ethan Kossover in 19th (19:56.5).

The Shockers take the upcoming week off, before heading to Joplin, Mo., to compete in the Missouri Southern Stampede on Sept. 15.
 

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Team Scores
Men
Kansas State – 25
Wichita State – 30
Emporia State – 84
Friends – 117
Neosho CC – 154
 
Women
Wichita State – 22
Kansas State – 54
Missouri State – 61
Newman – 102
Friends – 131
Emporia State – 165
 
Individual Results

Men
Zack Penrod – 18:55.5
Clayton Duchatschek – 18:59.7
Nathan Wickoren (Unattached) – 19:02.6
Cory Landon – 19:12.3
Pedro Montoya – 19:13.0
Sean Curran – 19:14.1
Josh Klein – 19:25.6
Jed Helker (Unattached) – 19:30.3
Alex Moen – 19:38.7
Ethan Kossover (Unattached) – 19:56.5
Connor Stine – 20:07.3
Bryce Merriman (Unattached) – 20:08.9
Dray Carson – 20:13.7
Jason Landon (Unattached) – 21:09.2
 
Women
Rebekah Topham – 13:48.3
Winny Koskei – 13:49.9
Winnie Kibet – 14:32.7
Rita Schnacker – 14:40.5
Yazmine Wright – 14:49.6
Halle Johnson (Unattached) – 15:02.1
Destini Eskridge (Unattached) – 15:10.2
Suzie Garcia – 15:20.6
McKenna Paintin (Unattached) – 15:28.7
Katie Cumpston – 15:30.9
Danielle Rinn (Unattached) – 15:41.2
Amber Reed – 16:07.7
Gabriela Reyna – 16:11.3
Tangy Wiseman – 16:16.9
Hope Saunders – 16:17.9
Camryn Slatten – 16:32.0
Emma Stamm – 16:32.1