BREAKING!! Cailie Logue Wins 3 in a Row at the Big XII


Pat Melgares interviews 3X Big XII woman's Champion Cailie Logue after her historic run



Cailie Logue, the former four-time Kansas state cross country champion from Girard, is reaching new milestones in the college ranks, as well.

Logue fought off a game effort from Oklahoma State's Taylor Roe to win the 2020 Big XII women's cross country title at Rim Rock Farm on Friday. It was the third consecutive conference crown for Logue, only the fifth Kansas girl ever to have won four state high school titles.

Flanked by her parents, Matt and Christie, Logue said afterwards it was exciting to come back to Kansas to win the Big XII title.

"It was very nostalgic and all around a great day," she said.

Logue, a senior at Iowa State, surged to the front of the pack of 82 runners along with Roe. The two ran shoulder-to-shoulder for three miles, before Logue pulled away with about 1000 meters to go. She rode that surge to a a seven second win, clocking 20:00.5.

"It's a lot of fun to have races like that where people are pushing each other," Logue said. "I've been visualizing and dreaming about that; just knowing this course and knowing I'd be strong."

"My coach has said you kind of turn the screw and crank a little bit, and when you make your final move, there's no going back. That's kind of how I pictured that. You have to save enough to the very end in these championship races. I knew when I came out of that cemetery hill back there, it was almost like one long straightaway, even though it wasn't."

Logue placed 15th at the NCAA Division I championships in 2019, her first collegiate All American finish.

Her win on Friday led Iowa State to a convincing win in the team standings. The Cyclones had four runners in the top 10 and scored 39 points, well ahead of Texas, which scored 62.

Jaybe Shufelberger, the 2018 Kansas Gatorade Runner of the Year from Washburn Rural who now runs for Kansas State, placed ninth in 21:22.6 to earn her second All Big XII honors in as many years. She led the Wildcats to a fifth place finish in the team standings.

Host Kansas placed seven of the 10 league schools.

In the men's race, Iowa State's Wesley Kiptoo covered the 8000 meter course in 22:35.4, winning by 14 seconds over Oklahoma State's Isai Rodriguez. It's the third straight year that an Iowa State runner has won the men's Big XII title.

Oklahoma State got a little redemption, however, in the team standings. They Cowboys tied with Iowa State, both with 31 points, but Oklahoma State got the title based on tiebreaker. Texas was third with 84 points.

Kansas State junior Cooper Schroeder, the 2017 3200 meter state champion running for Manhattan High School, placed 15th to earn all Big XII honors. His time of 23:54.6 is also a school record.

K-State placed fourth in the team standings with 103 points, just edging Sunflower State rival Kansas, which had 104. Ben Butler paced the Jayhawks with a 13th place finish (23:45.9).