@tckahler on X
After two previous years of heartbreak, both of which saw him finish second, New Mexico star Habtom Samuel finally claimed glory when he won the NCAA Men’s Cross Country Championships on Saturday at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Missouri.
However, Samuel’s remarkable triumph was sadly overshadowed by repetitive, widespread course cutting that was called out by the cross country community by not punished by meet officials.
While the course cutting wasn’t quite Rosie Ruiz at the 1980 Boston Marathon level bad, it was both obvious and involved a number of athletes involved in the race.
Multiple athletes running on the left side of the hay bales and white line.
This is between 7K and 8K. https://t.co/F8hDOrMSrO pic.twitter.com/DGnYIdvhhl
— Theo Kahler (@tckahler) November 22, 2025
Not only that, but the course cutting occurred at multiple points throughout the 10-kilometer long race.
Another instance between 3K and 4K. https://t.co/LcPYmqXyV2 pic.twitter.com/I5E7MELdyE
— Theo Kahler (@tckahler) November 22, 2025
“I’ve never seen as much blatant and persistent course cutting as I’ve seen in the men’s NCAA XC race,” former Kansas State runner and MileSplit writer Rod Murrow stated. “Many running inside the hay bales on the turns for extended periods of time, including athletes on teams in the podium hunt.”
“Crazy number of men cutting the course at the NCAA Championships. Bonkers to see. This is why we put up so many posts on our course. Painted lines do not suffice,” X user Rick Williamson wrote.
Murrow also drew criticism for pointing out that while the top finishers are crowned “All-Americans,” only two of the top-10 finishers were from the United States.
Either way, what should be one of the greatest days of Samuel’s life seems to have been overshadowed by everything except for his impressive performance.