Women's Cross Country | 09.03.2026

LEWISTON, Idaho – Warrior Cross Country opens the 2026 season this week when LC State heads to Portland for the Lewis & Clark XC Opener, hosted by NCAA Division III Lewis & Clark College. The No. 21 Warrior women enter the campaign with a seasoned roster, while the men will hit the course with a variety of fresh faces.
 
A major milestone comes with the new season as Dr. Michael Collins will begin his 30^th year at the helm of the program.
 
"It is actually a little bit surreal," Collins said about his 30^th season. "Initially I had not planned on coaching for more than a year or two until I finished up my doctoral program, but the world takes you down some unique paths. It always seemed like any time we looked at opportunities elsewhere; things would change here. Plus, I fell in love with coaching, and I was also able to teach, which was also very important to me. Our love for Lewiston, the Valley and its people has been tremendous for us and the support network here is amazing. It is crazy to think of how fast time has flown by. Seeing both of my girls run laps around the gym and basement in the old gym to Emily (Collins) pulling on a Warrior uniform, I am proud of what my kids have been able to do over the years and to have been a part of some pretty amazing things."
 
The Warriors will have the opportunity to race at home twice this season, including once in the postseason. LC State will host the LC State Invite on Oct. 17 at the LC State Cross Country Trail in the Lewiston Orchards, then the 2026 Cascade Conference Championships, presented by U.S. Bank, on Nov. 6.
 
"We are extremely excited about hosting," Collins explained. "Historically, when we have been able to race twice on our course, our second race has always been a lot better. Not sure if it is because we have shaken the cobwebs off, gotten rid of the jitters, sleeping in our own beds or what, but regardless of the reasons, we are hopeful that this trend will continue. Our conference is looking like the best in the country this year, so getting to nationals is going to be very challenging and we need every advantage we can get.
 
"I am also excited that we are working to allow me to be more of a coach this year in that meet, rather than a meet director," Collins added. "Athletic Director Jim Klemann has already been very vocal and proactive about getting things rolling and putting me in a position to do just that and ensuring that we continue to host the best collegiate meet in the state. Looking forward to seeing the rest of the Cascade Conference here in Lewiston."
 
The season begins on Sept. 4 in Portland before a trip to Nampa for the NNU Invitational on Sept. 18. The Warriors travel to Spokane on Oct. 3 for the Whitworth Invite before the final regular season meet at home. The 2026 NAIA Cross Country National Championships are set for Nov. 20 in Vancouver, Wash. With nationals in the Pacific Northwest, the Warriors will run every race on the schedule within the region.
 
"I have mixed emotions with this," Collins said. "I like taking the team to a big meet out of our area to give them a chance to get a 'national' experience to help prepare us for the national meet. But we looked ahead at hosting and how that would play into it, and I feel good about the schedule. I think the meet in Spokane prior to our home meet will be very competitive as it will be an NCAA Division III regional preview meet.
 
"Our home meet will also be very good with a lot of the conference coming as well as a number of DI programs," Collins continued. "We have historically done well in Vancouver. Two of our four national trophies were won on the Vancouver course, so I feel good about that and our ability to prepare properly, be in our own time zone, more family and friends present. What's not to like? The big task is to earn our spot in the field."
 
The Warrior women checked in at No. 21 in the NAIA preseason ratings and were picked to finish fourth in the Cascade Conference. Four teams are in the NAIA Top 25 to start the year, including No. 4 College of Idaho, No. 10 Southern Oregon and No. 20 Eastern Oregon.
 
LC State returns NAIA All-American Damaris Kibiwot for her junior season. As a sophomore, Kibiwot finished 19^th at the national meet to earn her first All-American honor in cross country, and the Warriors added another All-American from last season's race in transfer Kelsey Plymale. Plymale set the University of Providence (Mont.) record at nationals last season to finish just two places behind Kibiwot in 21^st.
 
"Both Damaris and Kelsey have shown that they are among the best in the country," Collins said. "I just have to do my best not to mess them up, keep them healthy and get them to Vancouver."
 
The Warriors return another All-American after a two-year mission trip. Aubree Williams, who was part of the indoor 4x800m relay that placed third at nationals in 2024, is back for her sophomore season.
 
"Damaris, Kelsey and Aubree will have a huge impact," Collins said. "All three provide a great amount of maturity and experience. Even though Aubree is just a sophomore, she returns from a mission, so is a little older, and has run on this course before when we finished 11th at the national meet. The women are already looking to her for guidance. I feel very good about where we sit with our women's team dynamic. Should be fun."
 
Juniors Lily Bennett and Leila Flannery and sophomores Lilly Gilbert and Eva Lundgren bolster the roster with their experience in the CCC, and Green River CC transfer Hannah Berdan also brings collegiate knowledge to the team. The group will help guide two freshmen in Zion Boyd and Morgan Myers.
 
"I think all our gals have returned with great attitudes," Collins explained. "With graduating some key ladies from last year, they all knew that the door was open and that if they wanted to have an impact, they would need to work hard, but that the opportunity was/is there for them. Lily Bennett and Leila have put in great summer of work. Lily Gilbert has also been training hard, but still working her way back from injury."
 
On the men's side, LC State returns juniors Manuel Valdez and Dawson Welliver, along with sophomore Malachi Walsh. The Warriors graduated seven seniors last season and have eight newcomers in 2026.
 
Cooper Bell and Zoran LaFrombois bring in the most collegiate experience of the new group. Bell competed most recently at DII Northwestern Oklahoma State where he set the program record in the 1,000m, and LaFrombois transferred from Providence where he earned All-Frontier Conference honors in the 3,000m steeplechase.
 
"The men's team is going to have a whole new look," Collins said. "Malachi has come back in great shape and will surprise a lot of people this year. We will depend a lot on the new runners to have an impact. We are really focusing on the end of the year in order to get to nationals and the guys know it. Cooper has run some great times but has been riddled with injuries. We have had a great history with our sports medicine team working to get these kinds of athletes healthy and keeping them healthy, so we have big expectations for him as well. He is already melding in with the group and making it better."
 
The group is rounded out by freshmen Benjamin Farr, Paul Kent, Nelson Kiprono, Finnegan O'Donnell, Arturo Villar and Cole Wilkerson.
 
"Our freshmen might be one of the best recruiting classes in a while," Collins added. "Both Ben and Paul are two of the best North Idaho kids in the state and both are very motivated. Arturo is also going to have an impact. His experience with cross country is limited, but he has great speed and has shown great talent in steeplechase, which is a great crossover to cross country. We may be young, but this group is going to surprise people. We just have to keep them patient and focused on the process and staying healthy. I think our conference has potentially five top 10 teams, so we have our work cut out for us. But we like high bars and will be working hard to clear them."
 
The LC State men were picked to finish eighth in a talented Cascade Conference. Southern Oregon checked in at No. 3 in the NAIA Preseason Top 25, Corban is No. 6 with College of Idaho just behind at No. 7. Trinity Western is No. 10 and Eastern Oregon is No. 13.
 
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