Fayetteville, AR - The College of the Ozarks Bobcats Cross Country team competed well in the Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival held at the University of Arkansas, in Fayetteville, on Saturday. Participating in the Men's Prairie Fire Pepper 8k, the Bobcats faced a tough field of competitors, including teams from Saint Mary (Kan.) and Park (Mo.) among others.

The team finished in 9th place, clocking a total time of 2:19:27.80 with an average time of 27:53.56 per runner. The teams' finish among the 23 teams was a highlight, but the leading headline of the day was the performance of senior Tanner Bailey. Bailey stole the show by winning the meet with an exceptional time of 24:53.2 and taking the top spot on the podium in one of the most competitive meets in the country. Out of 257 runners, Nolyn Corder made a significant contribution to the team score by finishing 33rd with a time of 26:55.2. Jack Lawson crossed the line with a time of 28:29.9, Ethan Howard logged a time of 28:57.2, Alex Frizzell finished the race in 30:12.3, Drew Rose finished in 30:46.2, Elijah Struik logged a time of 31:01.3, Eric Burns crossed the line in 31:25.7, Gabe Whitman recorded a time of 31:59.3, and Brady Rose finished with a time of 34:26.6

 

On October 4, 2025, the College of the Ozarks Lady Cats participated in the Prairie Fire Pepper 5k at the Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival, held at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas. Facing robust competition from schools such as Union (Tenn.), Cloud County, and Iowa Central CC among many others, the Lady Cats demonstrated strong individual and team performances.

In the women's event, the Lady Cats finished 15th with a commendable total time of 1:45:11.30, averaging 21:02.26. Notably, Keena Goze of the College of the Ozarks raced her way to a 7th place finish with a time of 18:30.3, leading the Lady Cats in front of a competitive lineup. Among the 239 runners, Emilie Zylstra performed well, finishing 67th at 20:28.1, followed closely by Tia Bethards at 74th with a time of 20:35.7.

Additional commendable performances from the Lady Cats included Aryssa Speights, Abigail Horton, Reagan Hull, and Gracie Vestal, who completed their races in 22:41.2, 22:56.0, 23:01.7, and 23:02.9 respectively. Their efforts contributed heavily to the team's overall results.

The next challenge for the Bobcats is scheduled for October 11, at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, where they will compete in the John Brown University Invitational.