With anticipation building for the Little 500, the spring series leading up to the races continued at Miss N Out on Friday.
Groups of 10 to 13 riders competed in the first round of the event, with last-place riders progressively eliminated each lap until three riders remained and advanced to the quarterfinals. After that, eight quarterfinal races of six riders commenced, with the top two riders advancing to the semifinals.
The semifinal races featured eight riders being eliminated each lap until three remained and advanced to the final. The bracket-style event concluded with six riders racing for the Miss N Out crown.
In the men’s event, CUTTERS senior Judah Thompson finished in first place, with Sigma Phi Epsilon senior Alex Hamilton placing second. After Sigma Phi Epsilon sophomore Drew Poplarski and Sigma Nu junior Isaac Baker crashed between the first and second turns, Thompson and Hamilton had a two-lap shootout for first place.
“I like to say it’s just momentum for the 25th (of April), of course,” Thompson said post-race. “It’s fun to go into a key event and figure out what the right execution is and the right focus and everything you need to perform at your best.”
Poplarski and Baker’s crash resulted in the pair tying for third place, while Sigma Alpha Epsilon junior Matthew Naas and Beta Sigma Psi junior Conor Furlong finished fifth and sixth, respectively.
The 15-time champion CUTTERS finished in first place during men’s qualifications March 28, while Thompson also won Individual Time Trials on April 2. On Friday, the team had three riders, including Thompson, make the semifinals, but senior Jake Zarov and freshman Leo Nelson were eliminated in that round.
The 2025 champions Black Key Bulls had two riders, senior Paul Lee and junior Wiley Close, make the semifinals, but the pair did not advance to the final race. The team finished fifth in qualifications, while Lee was third in the Individual Time Trials.
On the women’s side, Alpha Chi Omega sophomore Libby Lewis finished in first place. Lewis defeated Melanzana sophomore Sophie Peterson and Teter senior Leila Faraday on the last lap to claim the crown after finishing fifth last year.
Last year’s Miss N Out winner senior Evelyn Morris (Melanzana) placed sixth in the final, with Kappa Alpha Theta riders senior Bailey Cappella — who finished third last year — and junior Greta Heyl securing fourth and fifth, respectively.
Kappa Alpha Theta finished first during the women’s qualifications and continued its fast pace into Friday, as four riders made the semifinals. However, seniors Claire Tips and Greta Weeks were eliminated before reaching the final race.
Along with Faraday, Teter had two other riders make the semifinals: sophomore Jenna Greenberg and senior Seneca Simon. Simon barely missed out on the final race, coming in fourth, while Greenberg finished eighth and was the first to be eliminated in the second women’s semifinal race.
Alpha Chi Omega placed third at qualifications. However, other than Lewis, no other rider made semifinals, as juniors Emma Nelson, MaryClaire Swanson and senior Ellie Marsella were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Delta Gamma junior Morgan Heim was the only rider who finished in the top five at Individual Time Trials and did not make the final race Friday. Heim placed seventh during the first semifinal, while Delta Gamma — which finished fourth at qualifications — only had one rider make it past the quarterfinals.
Even without bike exchanges and sprint-style races, Miss N Out can provide riders with clarity on their strategies before race day.
“It's a different dynamic because there's no exchanges and whatnot,” Thompson said. “But you still get like the same, like fast track dynamics, where you just figure out how to utilize the track to your advantage.”
The “World’s Greatest College Weekend” will be hosted April 24-25. But before the 38th and 75th running of the women’s and men’s races, respectively, the Little 500 spring series wraps up with one event: Team Pursuit. The race will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The winners of the spring series will earn white jerseys to wear during this year’s race.
Men’s final race results
1. Judah Thompson (CUTTERS)
2. Alex Hamilton (Sigma Phi Epsilon)
3. Drew Poplarski (Sigma Phi Epsilon)
3. Isaac Baker (Sigma Nu)
5. Matthew Naas (Sigma Alpha Epsilon)
6. Conor Furlong (Beta Sigma Psi)
Women’s final race results
1. Libby Lewis (Alpha Chi Omega)
2. Sophie Peterson (Melanzana)
3. Leila Faraday (Teter)
4. Bailey Cappella (Kappa Alpha Theta)
5. Greta Heyl (Kappa Alpha Theta)
6. Evelyn Morris (Melanzana)
Editor’s note: Leila Faraday previously worked at the IDS.
