Montana Invite — September 19, 2025
Missoula, Montana
Women's 5K Recap
The Idaho State women delivered a strong team performance, finishing second with 36 points behind Idaho (28) and ahead of Montana (66).
Senior Ashley Reeck set the tone, crossing the line 2nd overall in 18:15.0, marking her best early-season finish as a Bengal. Classmate Kamber Scott gave ISU another top-5 with a 4th-place finish (18:45.7).
Junior Allie Lemons (7th, 18:54.8) and Natalya Babcock (9th, 19:11.0) kept the Bengals tightly grouped near the front. Sophomore Kaitlyn Blackham (16th, 19:32.6) rounded out the scoring five.
Other team finishers included Alivia Johnson (17th, 19:33.6), Molly Connor (25th, 20:06.1), and Gabby Johnson (31st, 20:29.7).
With five in the top 16, the Bengals showed improved depth compared to their opener. Against fellow Big Sky opponents, Idaho State outpaced Montana comfortably while staying within striking range of Idaho, a perennial conference contender.
Men's 8K Recap
The Bengal men claimed the team title with 30 points, defeating Montana (58) and Idaho (56) in a convincing performance that saw five Bengals inside the top 10.
Seth Babbel took the individual crown in 24:30.1, with teammate George Karamitsos following in 2nd (24:45.0) to complete a dominant 1–2 finish.
The depth continued with Gavin Pollock (8th, 25:15.8), freshman Ryan Estrada (9th, 25:24.7), and Jared Harden (10th, 25:28.3) all contributing to a remarkably tight front pack.
Backup strength came from Jacob DeTemple (24th, 26:15.4) and Chase Markunas (28th, 26:28.1), reinforcing ISU's ability to stack the middle of the field.
Against Big Sky competition, the Bengals stood out: they controlled Montana's top runners and held off a deep Idaho squad, showing that ISU is ready to mix it up at the front of the conference picture.
Takeaways & Looking Ahead
Both Bengal squads made a statement in Missoula. The women closed the gap to Idaho while separating themselves clearly from Montana, signaling their ability to contend in Big Sky team races. On the men's side, Idaho State's front-running firepower and depth carried them to a clear victory, a strong sign for later championship meets.
Compared to conference rivals, the meet showed that Idaho State is not only competitive but capable of setting the pace. With both squads running tight scoring spreads and placing well against Idaho and Montana, the Bengals leave Missoula with confidence that they can continue climbing within the Big Sky as the season progresses.
