Bobcats Sweep Individual and Team Titles at Inaugural Frank Knott Classic

Saturday, October 3

Spokane Valley, Wash.

11 a.m.

Montana State University

Frank Knott Classic

Final Results 6k Map

Photo by: Pershelle Rohrer

Bobcats Sweep Individual and Team Titles at Inaugural Frank Knott Classic

10/3/2026 2:38:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

Rutherford, Ells lead Bobcats in Spokane Valley

By: Pershelle Rohrer

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. --- The Montana State cross country program secured its second sweep of the men's and women's team and individual titles this season, dominating the inaugural Frank Knott Classic to open the month of October.

The Bobcat women opened the morning with a perfect 15 points in their first 6k of the season as Claire Rutherford secured her second victory of the year. The Bobcats had seven finishers in the top 10 to win the women's race by 44 points over Gonzaga (59), with Eastern Washington (93), Montana (132), and Lewis-Clark State (141) rounding out the top-five teams in Spokane Valley.

The Montana State men tallied 20 points in the 8k as Sam Ells continued his perfect season with his third consecutive individual title. Four Bobcats finished in the top five, and five earned top-10 results to lead the Bobcats at The Course Spokane Valley. Gonzaga finished second on the team leaderboard with 73 points, and Montana (87), Idaho (127), and Eastern Washington (148) finished third through fifth, respectively.

"The women's team ran really well," Dale Kennedy Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Lyle Weese said. "They got out towards the front of the race. They had a few competitors from some other teams that they, especially the back half of that top five, really raced with. Some people really finished well, Sam Geraets in particular. She really came on the last little bit, and we were able to have a perfect score.

"Sam [Ells] has just looked unbelievable this year. He's been one of our best runners for a few years, but this being his fifth year, he has really taken it to another level. He's just so consistent and so composed. It seems like whenever he needs to move, he can move, so it's great to see him in so much control. I'm excited to see what he can do in the coming races. Obviously, the competition level is going to be turned up quite a bit as we head into the Pre-National meet in a couple weeks."

??? Here's what Coach Weese had to say about the Bobcats' performance at the Frank Knott Classic#GoCatsGo pic.twitter.com/r9THes8OGY
— Montana State TF/XC (@MSUBobcatsTFXC) October 3, 2026

Rutherford took the top step for the second time this year with a winning time of 20:50.2 in the 6k, posting a 19-second victory in Spokane Valley. Annie Kaul took second overall with a time of 21:09.3, with Eva Koos earning her first scoring result of the season with her third-place result (21:17.0). Sofia Ledermann clocked a time of 21:20.7 to place fourth and score in her first collegiate 6k, and Samantha Geraets rounded out the top five finishers with a time of 21:26.2. All eight Bobcat women who competed clocked new personal bests in a successful weekend in Washington.

Hear from our top-three women's finishers after the Bobcats posted a perfect 15 points in Spokane Valley ??#GoCatsGo pic.twitter.com/dfyLlIFEPw
— Montana State TF/XC (@MSUBobcatsTFXC) October 3, 2026

Ells clocked a time of 23:42.8 to earn his third-straight win to open the season after winning the MSU Bobcat Twilight 5k on Sept. 4 and the Montana Invite 8k on Sept. 18. Blaise Snow followed close behind in second place with a personal-best time of 23:46.1. AJ Ringert finished as the Bobcats' third scorer with a time of 23:55.9, taking fourth place overall. Eli Boppart took fifth place overall, clocking a time of 23:59.2 to finish in the Bobcats' fourth scoring position. Ryan Harrington was the Bobcats' fifth and final scorer, crossing the finish line in 24:11.0 to place eighth.

Sam Ells, Blaise Snow, and AJ Ringert give their thoughts on a strong meet for the Bobcat men ??#GoCatsGo pic.twitter.com/je3CGuJH83
— Montana State TF/XC (@MSUBobcatsTFXC) October 3, 2026

Full results from the Frank Knott Classic can be found here.

Montana State will send a handful of runners to the Yellowjacket/Battlin' Bears Invite in Billings, Mont., on Friday, Oct. 9, before heading to the Pre-National Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind., to wrap up the regular season on Friday, Oct. 16.

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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.