Sam Ells Earns Second-Straight Win, Bobcats Sweep Team Titles in Missoula

Friday, September 18

Missoula, Mont.

6 p.m.

Montana State University

Montana Invite

Photo by: Pershelle Rohrer

Sam Ells Earns Second-Straight Win, Bobcats Sweep Team Titles in Missoula

9/18/2026 8:23:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

Bobcats remain undefeated in team competition in 2026

By: Pershelle Rohrer

MISSOULA, Mont. --- Montana State fifth-year Sam Ells earned his second win of the 2026 cross country season at the Montana Invite, highlighting a meet that saw the Bobcat men's and women's cross country teams earn both team titles on Friday night in Missoula.

Ells and Ryan Harrington crossed the finish line first and second in the men's 8k to help the Bobcat men take five of the top seven scoring positions at the University of Montana Golf Course. The Bobcats tallied 21 points for a 48-point victory over second-place Montana (69), with Idaho (86), Eastern Washington (117), and Idaho State (137) completing the top five team finishers.

In the women's 5k earlier in the evening, sophomore Claire Rutherford secured a runner-up result after winning the MSU Bobcat Twilight two weeks ago, clocking a time of 18:03.7 in Missoula to lead a group of five Bobcat finishers in the top seven. The Bobcats earned the team victory with 24 points as Idaho finished second with 53 points. Eastern Washington (88) narrowly beat Idaho State (94) for third place, while Montana rounded out the top five with 149 points.

"Today was a step forward," Dale Kennedy Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Lyle Weese said. "It was our first travel meet of the season. I thought we traveled well, competed well, and performed really well as a team overall, so it was another step in the right direction. We're excited for our next meet in two weeks in Spokane. We're excited for that opportunity, but I think we put together a good meet today. Training's been going really well. I'm excited to see what we can do with the rest of the season."

Rutherford's runner-up result in the women's 5k (18:03.7) helped her finish as the Bobcats' top scorer for the second meet in a row. Annie Kaul was Montana State's second scorer and the fourth finisher overall with a time of 18:18.9, while Niamh Motley finished less than a second behind (18:19.2) for fifth place. Samantha Geraets took sixth place with a time of 18:23.0, and Caroline Fender rounded out the Bobcat scorers with an eighth-place time of 18:34.5.

Ells led the Bobcats across the line in the men's 8k with his winning time of 24:16.0, while Harrington finished just under five seconds behind with a second-place time of 24:20.8. AJ Ringert was Montana State's third scorer and the fourth finisher overall with a time of 24:38.1, and Blaise Snow earned his first scoring result of the season with a sixth-place time of 24:44.7. Harvey Cramb secured the Bobcats' fifth and final scoring position thanks to his time of 24:57.2, which was good for eighth overall.

Full results from the Montana Invite can be found here.

The Bobcats will take next weekend off from competition before returning to action at the Frank Knott Classic in Spokane Valley, Wash., on Saturday, Oct. 3.

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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.