FAYETTEVILLE – Paityn Noe led the field in the women’s Habanero 5k race on Friday (29), propelling her team, No. 20 Arkansas, to a decisive victory at the 2023 Chile Pepper XC Festival at Agri Park. Noe clocked 16:09.4, while Arkansas accumulated just 20 points to secure the team title.
Noe, a freshman and 2023 Ballard High School graduate from Huxley, Iowa, seized control in the final mile, overtaking Sydney Thorvaldson and widening her lead.
She maintained an average pace of 5:11 per mile, as Arkansas runners claimed the top four spots and placed all five scoring runners in the top 10. Mia Cochran rounded out the top 10 with a time of 17:15.0.
Read more: How to watch Chile Pepper Festival 2023 for free?
Thorvaldson, last year’s fourth-place finisher, clocked 16:44.1 for second place. She was followed by Laura Taborda at 16:49.8 and Heidi Nielson at 16:56.9.
SMU’s Kaitlyn Gearin notched a fifth-place finish with a time of 16:58.2, while UT-Arlington freshman Matroline Jepkemboi recorded 17:03.3 for sixth place.
In team rankings, Arkansas, considered by many to be underrated in the latest NCAA Division I Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, faced little competition.
SMU trailed by 60 points, finishing second with 89 points. Western Colorado secured third place with 121 points, UT-Arlington took fourth with 169 points, and Arkansas State completed the top five with 220 points.
Watch Paityn Noe Dominates Women’s Chile Pepper XC Festival 5k
2023 Chile Pepper XC Festival Women’s Results Top 20
| 1 | Paityn NOE Arkansas [FR] | 16:09.4 |
| 2 | Sydney THORVALDSON Arkansas [SO] | 16:44.1 +35 |
| 3 | Laura TABORDA Arkansas [SR] | 16:49.8 +40 |
| 4 | Heidi NIELSON Arkansas [SO] | 16:56.9 +47 |
| 5 | Kaitlyn GEARIN SMU [JR] | 16:58.2 +49 |
| 6 | Matroline JEPKEMBOI UT-Arlington [FR] | 17:03.3 +54 |
| 7 | Rahel BROEMMEL Arkansas State [FR] | 17:04.0 +54 |
| 8 | Allison BEASLEY Western Colorado [JR] | 17:10.5 +1:01 |
| 9 | Isabela ROSS Southern Miss [SO] | 17:14.0 +1:04 |
| 10 | Mia COCHRAN Arkansas [SO] | 17:15.0 +1:06 |
| 11 | Mary Ellen EUDALY Arkansas [SO] | 17:17.0 +1:07 |
| 12 | Mackenzie ROGERS Arkansas [SO] | 17:17.6 +1:08 |
| 13 | Nia CLATWORTHY Lamar [SO] | 17:20.2 +1:11 |
| 14 | Leah TAYLOR Western Colorado [JR] | 17:24.4 +1:15 |
| 15 | Flora TISSIER SMU [JR] | 17:25.8 +1:16 |
| 16 | Madeline HILL Central Arkansas [SO] | 17:26.4 +1:17 |
| 17 | Leoni MIERSWA SMU [JR] | 17:26.7 +1:17 |
| 18 | Jaybe SHUFELBERGER Arkansas State [SR] | 17:28.6 +1:19 |
| 19 | Alliyah MOLINA Trinidad State [SO] | 17:28.8 +1:19 |
| 20 | Ashlyn ROYAL UIW [JR] | 17:29.1 +1:20 |
2023 Chile Pepper XC Festival Women’s Team Scores Top 15
| Place | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arkansas | 20 |
| 2 | SMU | 89 |
| 3 | Western Colorado | 121 |
| 4 | UT-Arlington | 169 |
| 5 | Arkansas State | 220 |
| 6 | Central Arkansas | 232 |
| 7 | Lamar | 241 |
| 8 | TCU | 313 |
| 9 | Missouri State | 322 |
| 10 | Missouri Southern | 341 |
| 11 | Drury | 377 |
| 12 | Nebraska-Kearney | 379 |
| 13 | South Alabama | 422 |
| 14 | Oklahoma Baptist | 439 |
| 15 | Ouachita Baptist | 451 |
Click here for the full team scores and results.
