Cottey College made a strong statement at the Prairie Fire Pepper 5K, held in Nevada, Missouri, with senior standout Madalenn Fee leading the way. Fee crossed the finish line in 10th place overall with a time of 18:45.3, averaging a 6:02 mile pace and earning 8 points for the team. Her performance placed her among a competitive field of over 140 runners from across the region.

Joining Fee in the scoring column were junior Avery Morris, who finished 47th in 20:02.0, and senior Hannah Hayduk, who came in 61st at 20:17.5. Sophomore Jessie Mick added depth with a 20:45.1 finish, placing 80th, while senior Kyndal Soukup rounded out Cottey's top five in 131st place with a time of 21:55.6.

The race featured elite runners from powerhouse programs like Garden City CC, Union University, and Cloud County CC. Meryeme Mai of Garden City claimed the individual title with a blazing 17:45.3 finish, followed closely by Addi Aguayo of Union and Mercy Angaamchaab of Cloud County.

Morris' performance was recognized by the American Midwest Conference as Runner of the Week. 

Despite the stiff competition, Cottey's runners held their own, showing grit and consistency on a fast course. With Fee's top-10 finish and solid team support, the Comets continue to build momentum heading into the heart of the cross country season.