Bobcats Trek to Missoula for Montana Invite on Friday

Friday, September 18

Missoula, Mont.

6 p.m.

Montana State University

Montana Invite

Photo by: Bobcat Creative Services

9/17/2026 8:14:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

Montana State looks to replicate success from MSU Bobcat Twilight two weeks ago

By: Pershelle Rohrer

BOZEMAN, Mont. – The Montana State cross country program is set for its second meet of the 2026 season, traveling west on I-90 to Missoula for Friday's Montana Invite.

The Bobcats head to the campus of the University of Montana seeking to top the individual and team leaderboards for the second-straight meet against a field featuring plentiful Big Sky Conference competition. The women will open competition at the University of Montana Golf Course in the 5k race at 6 p.m. MT, and the men will follow in the 8k at 6:30 p.m.

Live results from the Montana Invite will be available here. The meet will not be live streamed.

"Coming off the Bobcat Twilight a couple of weeks ago, we are looking to build and show improvement as we head out on our first travel trip of the cross country season," Dale Kennedy Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Lyle Weese said. "There will be a total of five Big Sky Conference teams at the meet, which will allow us to see how we stack up against a good portion of the conference. Many of our student-athletes ran this course in high school, so it will be nostalgic for them to race on the course again, but this time as a collegian."

The Competition: Montana State is one of 10 schools represented in the field at the Montana Invite. Half of those programs are Big Sky competitors, with Eastern Washington, Idaho, Idaho State, and Montana joining the Bobcats at the University of Montana Golf Course on Friday. The remaining five teams all hail from Montana, with Carroll College, Dawson Community College, MSU Northern, Montana Tech, and the University of Providence all set to send runners to compete at the meet.

Bobcat Competitors: Fifteen women and 13 men are expected to don the Blue and Gold at the Montana Invite. Stella Diaz, Caroline Fender, Samantha Geraets, Annie Kaul, Sofia Ledermann, Addi Lilyquist, Sophia Miller, Niamh Motley, Miranda Oblad, Claire Rutherford, Kaitlyn Skinner, and Quinn Stranahan are all set to represent the Bobcat women for the second time this season, while Gianna Cicora, Eva Koos, and Madi Siana are expected to make their season debuts.

On the men's side, Tyler Blair, Eli Boppart, Harvey Cramb, Sam Ells, Jackson Fagerlin, Ryan Harrington, Camden Houchin, Niko Mann, Kye McAbee, Race Morrell, Quinn Newman, AJ Ringert, and Blaise Snow are all entered to compete for the Bobcats.

Last Time Out: The Bobcats opened their 2026 season with a sweep of the men's and women's team and individual titles at the MSU Bobcat Twilight in Bozeman on Sept. 4. Fifth-year Sam Ells (14:38.4) took home the individual title in the men's 5k for the third-straight year as the Bobcat men snagged four of the top-five points-scoring positions for 19 points. Sophomore Claire Rutherford won the women's 5k with a time of 17:29.9, earning her first collegiate cross country victory by 23 seconds. She led the Bobcats to a perfect score of 15 points and was named Big Sky Co-Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week for her performance at Dyche Field in Bozeman.

Up Next: Montana State will travel to Spokane Valley, Wash., for the Frank Knott Classic on Oct. 3 to open a packed October schedule. The remainder of the month will feature the Yellowjacket/Battlin' Bears Invite in Billings, Mont., on Oct. 9, the Pre-National Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind., on Oct. 16, and the Big Sky Cross Country Championships in Flagstaff, Ariz., on Oct. 30. The NCAA Mountain Regional Championships will follow in Albuquerque, N.M., on Nov. 13, and those who qualify will wrap up the season at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute on Nov. 21.

Follow the Bobcats
For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State cross country program, follow the Bobcats on Twitter and Instagram at @MSUBobcatsTFXC. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following the Bobcats on Twitter at @MSUBobcats, Instagram at @MontanaStateBobcats, and on Facebook at Montana State Bobcats.