Arkansas wins Chile Pepper 2026 team title; Braelyn Combe takes 5K crown

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas freshman Braelyn Combe held off UT Arlington’s Dorcas Jepkosgei by one-tenth of a second Saturday to win the Women’s Harter’s Habanero 5-kilometer race at the 2026 Chile Pepper XC Festival. The Razorbacks were coming off a winning performance at the eighth annual Gans Creek Classic a week ago.

Combe completed the familiar course in 15 minutes and 59 seconds at Agri Park, narrowly ahead of Jepkosgei, a UT Arlington sophomore, in 15:59.1. Tulsa junior Kathryn Koonts placed third in 16:03.7.

Arkansas put five runners in the top 27 and totaled 69 points to win the team championship, followed by Mississippi State, which took second with 83 points, and Tulsa, third with 89.

Read Also: The 2026 Chile Pepper Festival 2026 complete schedule, live results

The Razorbacks’ depth decided a close three-team race. Senior Paityn Noe was seventh in 16:17.8, junior Jayden Hill finished 11th in 16:43.1, freshman Emma Chepngetich took 23rd in 17:05.5 and freshman Marissa Ferebee was 27th in 17:12.9.

Mississippi State placed four runners among the first 19 finishers, led by sophomore Naomi Jepleting in sixth at 16:17.2. The Bulldogs also got a ninth-place finish from sophomore Milicent Kemboi, a 13th-place effort from junior Berit Janowitz and a 19th-place finish from freshman Larkin Johnson.

Tulsa had four runners in the top 26, paced by Koonts. Junior Sara Morefield was eighth in 16:27.4, freshman Makaylin Viet was 22nd in 17:02.1 and freshman Ava Cornelius finished 26th in 17:12.2.

Ruth Kimeli of Baylor placed fourth in 16:05.2, and East Central (Oklahoma)’s Joyce Kemboi was fifth in 16:09.7. Oral Roberts junior Ossly Murambidzi finished 10th in 16:41.9.

UT Arlington finished fourth in the team standings with 178 points. East Central was fifth with 187, Texas sixth with 197, Missouri State seventh with 199 and Baylor eighth with 202.

Women’s Harter’s Habanero 5K offshoots

1. Braelyn Combe, Arkansas, 15:59.0
2. Dorcas Jepkosgei, UT Arlington, 15:59.1
3. Kathryn Koonts, Tulsa, 16:03.7
4. Ruth Kimeli, Baylor, 16:05.2
5. Joyce Kemboi, East Central (Oklahoma), 16:09.7
6. Naomi Jepleting, Mississippi State, 16:17.2
7. Paityn Noe, Arkansas, 16:17.8
8. Sara Morefield, Tulsa, 16:27.4
9. Milicent Kemboi, Mississippi State, 16:37.9
10. Ossly Murambidzi, Oral Roberts, 16:41.9
11. Jayden Hill, Arkansas, 16:43.1
12. Ximena Lopez, North Texas, 16:48.4
13. Berit Janowitz, Mississippi State, 16:49.8
14. Khadija Ennasri, Baylor, 16:52.3
15. Aiden Harrand, Southern Miss, 16:55.7
16. Ariadna Navarro, Houston Christian, 16:56.2
17. Lesli Salas, Dallas Baptist, 16:58.4
18. Matro Jepkemboi, UT Arlington, 16:59.0
19. Larkin Johnson, Mississippi State, 16:59.1
20. Aishling Callanan, Texas, 17:00.1
21. Ella Cronhardt, Missouri State, 17:01.9
22. Makaylin Viet, Tulsa, 17:02.1
23. Emma Chepngetich, Arkansas, 17:05.5
24. Aubrey Milam, North Texas, 17:06.6
25. Sharon Jemeli, East Central (Oklahoma), 17:06.7
26. Ava Cornelius, Tulsa, 17:12.2
27. Marissa Ferebee, Arkansas, 17:12.9
28. Winnie Kipsang, East Central (Oklahoma), 17:15.9
29. Mia Perez, Texas, 17:16.0
30. Sam Schmersahl, Tulsa, 17:16.3
31. Riley Bryan, Missouri State, 17:16.6
32. Adelaide Murphy, Oklahoma Baptist, 17:16.8
33. Matilda Laidlaw, Tulsa, 17:18.3
34. Connie Ndiema, UT Arlington, 17:19.5
35. Ashara Frater, Hutchinson (Kansas) CC, 17:28.7
36. Ella Perry, Baylor, 17:28.9
37. Brooklyn Quanz, Mississippi State, 17:31.6
38. Antonia Ronoh, East Central (Oklahoma), 17:32.0
39. Addison Rainey, Southern Miss, 17:32.2
40. Noa Sancho, Houston Christian, 17:33.5
41. Kaitlyn Burge, Mississippi State, 17:33.7
42. Reyes Carrera, Houston Christian, 17:34.9
43. Lili Denton, Texas, 17:36.4
44. Jordyn Cleary, Tulsa, 17:37.8
45. Elsa Henry, Missouri State, 17:38.6
46. Nhamaoinesu (Tadiwa) Mabvuka, El Paso (Texas) CC, 17:39.9
47. Cara Sims, Texas, 17:40.3
48. Aaliyah Joshua, Little Rock, 17:40.8
49. Corinne Croy, Southern Miss, 17:41.2
50. Emilia Mandl, UT Arlington, 17:43.5

Team scores

1. Arkansas, 69
2. Mississippi State, 83
3. Tulsa, 89
4. UT Arlington, 178
5. East Central (Oklahoma), 187
6. Texas, 197
7. Missouri State, 199
8. Baylor, 202
9. North Texas, 240
10. Southern Miss, 263
11. Dallas Baptist, 294
12. Houston Christian, 303
13. Oklahoma Baptist, 331
14. Oral Roberts, 357
15. Ouachita Baptist, 405
16. St. Edward’s, 478
17. UT Tyler, 533
18. Central Oklahoma, 561
19. El Paso (Texas) CC, 576
20. Weatherford (Texas), 597
21. Memphis, 617
22. Texas Southern, 626
23. St. Thomas (Texas), 642
24. Little Rock, 645
25. Southeastern Oklahoma State, 654
26. Butler (Kansas) CC, 696
27. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 824
28. Kansas City, 826
    Hutchinson (Kansas) CC, no team score