LOUISVILLE, KY – The Principia College cross country team traveled to Kentucky this weekend for the 2026 SLIAC Championship meet, hosted by Spalding University at EP Tom Sawyer Park.
The Panthers had their most runners of the season competing on Saturday, with eight men and five women running allowing both groups to earn a team score. The men's 8K went off first at 9:30 AM with almost the entire Principia team earning a personal record time. Junior
Holland Thomas led the way finishing third overall with a 40 second PR of 26:42. Senior
Kennett Rampley finished sooner after in fifth with a 25 second PR of 27:00. Both Thomas and Rampley earned First Team All-Conference for finishing in the top eight. This is Rampley's first time earning First Team honors, while Thomas has now gotten First Team in back-to-back seasons.
Freshmen occupied the next four spots for the Panthers.
Tyrone Merdian had an incredible race improving his PR by over three minutes (28:40) to finish 15th and earn Second Team All-Conference.
Dallas Manhart returned from injury to run his first race in seven weeks and still got a PR by 35 seconds (28:58) to finish 18th.
Rowan Kirkbride rounded out the scoring places for Principia in 26th place with a 90 second PR (30:53), while
Davyon Walker completed his first ever 8K soon after in 28th place (31:19).
Senior
Augustine Magembe finished in 32nd with a PR by over two minutes of 32:07, and junior
Luke Berberich finished in 54th at 38:33. The Principia men's team score of 63 gave them third place overall behind Greenville and Webster.
The women's 6K went off at 10:30 AM with more personal records for the Panthers. Junior
Nina Martinez and freshman
Lily Hohner each had the best race of their lives to earn All-Conference. Martinez finished fourth overall with a PR by over two minutes (24:42) to earn First Team honors for the first time, and Hohner finished 13th with a PR by almost four minutes (27:09) to earn Second Team honors.
Sophomore
Danielle Vargas and senior
Sarah Fakorede each ran their first race of the season, finishing 37th (33:50) and 42nd (37:46), respectively. Freshman
Quintasia Evans finished right after Fakorede in 43rd with a PR by over 90 seconds (37:56). The Principia women's team score of 122 gave them 5th place out of seven scoring teams.
FULL RESULTS
The Panthers will finish out their season at NCAA Division III Midwest Regionals hosted by Augustana College in Rock Island, IL on Saturday, November 14.
