Rain didn't ruin the day, but the record books certainly took a beating. On October 31, 2025, the air at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence, Kansas, was crisp, exactly what you'd want for a distance showdown. But what happened on that grass was anything but standard. We saw a freshman completely dismantle a course record and a men’s team put on a clinic so dominant it felt like a time warp back to the conference's most lopsided eras.
If you weren't keeping a close eye on the Big 12 Cross Country Championships 2025, you missed a massive shift in power dynamics. With new faces like Arizona, Colorado, and Utah now in the mix, the "old guard" had to prove they still owned the trail.
Honestly? They did more than just prove it. They practically shouted it.
The Freshman Who Broke the Clock
Jane Hedengren. Remember that name.
The BYU freshman didn’t just win the women's 6K; she absolutely decimated it. She crossed the line at 18:29.6. To put that into perspective, she’s the first woman to ever dip under 19 minutes at Rim Rock Farm in a championship setting. She beat the previous record by over 30 seconds. Thirty. Seconds. In a sport where races are often decided by the lean of a chest, that’s a lifetime.
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It wasn’t just a fluke, either. Hedengren's pace-setting helped BYU secure their third consecutive Big 12 title. They finished with 38 points, comfortably clear of a very strong Iowa State squad that took second with 71. West Virginia and Oklahoma State actually tied for third with 86 points, but the real story was the sea of blue and white at the front.
BYU’s depth is terrifying. Riley Chamberlain grabbed third, and they managed to put five runners in the top 13. When your "worst" scoring runner is basically an All-Conference lock, you're in a good spot.
Oklahoma State’s Men Are Just Different
While the women’s race was about a breakout star, the men’s 8K was about a relentless machine. Oklahoma State came in ranked No. 2, facing off against a No. 1 ranked Iowa State team. Rankings are great for Twitter arguments, but the Cowboys prefer to settle things on the hills.
Brian Musau won his third straight individual Big 12 title with a time of 22:53.7. He’s only the second guy to ever three-peat in this conference, joining Colorado legend Jorge Torres. But Musau wasn’t lonely at the finish line. His teammate Adisu Guadie was right there in second (22:55.3), and Denis Kipngetich took fourth.
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The Cowboys posted a team score of 20.
Twenty.
That is the lowest winning score the Big 12 has seen since 2010. They put five guys in the top seven. Iowa State is a phenomenal team—they took second with 43 points—but OSU just operated on a different level of physics that day.
The New Map of the Big 12
The Big 12 Cross Country Championships 2025 felt different because the geography has changed. Seeing Colorado back in the Big 12 jersey felt like a weird bit of nostalgia, and they didn't disappoint, taking third on the men’s side.
The conference is deeper now. You’ve got:
- The Powerhouses: OSU and BYU.
- The Constant Threats: Iowa State and West Virginia.
- The Newcomers: Utah (who took 6th in the women’s race) and the Arizona schools trying to find their footing in the Midwest humidity and hills.
It’s no longer just a two-team race. Even Cincinnati’s Nickson Kogei made noise, finishing 8th in the men's race to grab an All-Conference spot. The talent is spreading out, even if the trophies are still staying in Stillwater and Provo for now.
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What Actually Happened Later
The Big 12 didn't just peak in October. This conference went on a tear. A few weeks later at the NCAA Championships in Columbia, Missouri, the Oklahoma State men climbed the mountain to claim the national title. Brian Musau finished 4th in the nation, proving that his Big 12 dominance wasn't just a "big fish in a small pond" situation.
On the women’s side, BYU finished as the national runner-up. Jane Hedengren proved the Big 12 race was no fluke by taking 2nd place individually in the entire country as a freshman.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Athletes
If you're a coach, an aspiring runner, or just someone who likes to bet on the underdog, there are a few things to take away from the 2025 season.
- Respect the course: Rim Rock Farm is notorious for its rolling hills and "The Billy Goat" incline. If you aren't training on elevation changes, the Big 12 will eat you alive.
- Freshman can lead: The old "wait your turn" mentality is dead. Hedengren's 2025 run shows that if the talent is there, the age doesn't matter.
- Depth wins titles: OSU won the Big 12 and the National title not because they had one fast guy, but because their 5th runner was faster than almost everyone else’s 2nd runner.
To really get a feel for the speed, you should go back and watch the ESPN+ replay of the final 1000 meters of the women's race. The way Hedengren shifted gears on the final straightaway is a masterclass in kick finishing. It’s also worth looking up the 2026 recruiting classes; with the Big 12’s current reputation, the influx of international and top-tier high school talent is only going to accelerate. Keep an eye on the upcoming indoor track season to see if these same distance names can transition their lung capacity to the shorter, faster loops of the oval.