A year removed from the 37th running of the women’s Little 500, the 2025 race remains defined by a handful of pivotal moments that shaped both its outcome and its lasting significance.
Last year’s race day at Bill Armstrong Stadium opened with anticipation as teams prepared under then-clearing skies. By the time the race began, weather conditions from rain that morning had settled, and the field of 33 teams rolled out tightly grouped, each looking to establish a position early.
The first major turning point came almost immediately. On lap four, a crash in the back half of the pack brought down 15 riders, forcing an abrupt shift in the race’s trajectory. What had begun as a controlled start quickly became a test of recovery and adaptability. Several teams lost contact with the front, while others used the disruption to push forward and create separation.
In the laps that followed, a smaller group emerged at the front, taking advantage of the fractured field. Among them were Teter and Delta Gamma, both of which spent extended stretches setting the pace. WSR, competing with only two riders, also found itself near the front in the early stages after capitalizing on the opening created by the crash, despite the long-term challenge of sustaining that position without a full rotation.
As the race settled, the early chaos gave way to a prolonged period of balance. No single team managed to fully break away, and the lead continued to shift as exchanges and positioning dictated momentum. The field gradually consolidated into a smaller group of contenders, with each lap increasing the importance of efficiency and timing.
By the final quarter of the race, the decisive group had taken shape. Kappa Alpha Theta remained within striking distance, avoiding the spotlight through much of the race after qualifying third. The defending champions relied on patience and control, staying connected to the leaders while other teams absorbed the strain of setting the pace.
That approach set up one of the defining moments of the race. With roughly 15 laps remaining, Theta began to move forward, positioning itself firmly within the lead group as the intensity increased. The gap between contenders continued to shrink, leaving almost no margin for error.
By the final lap, six teams remained in contention, all separated by only seconds. The race, which had been shaped by chaos early and control in the middle, came down to a tightly packed sprint where any mistake or opening could decide the outcome.
In the closing stretch, Theta’s then-junior Bailey Cappella found that opening. Moving through the final turns, she accelerated into the lead, gaining just enough separation to hold off the field. The finish was razor-thin, with first, second and third place riders crossing within a second of one another, underscoring how little separated the top contenders after 100 laps.
The move secured the victory for Kappa Alpha Theta and capped a race that had remained undecided until its final moments. The four riders — now senior Bailey Cappella, junior Greta Heyl, senior Claire Tips and senior Greta Weeks — will run it back again this year in hopes of a three-peat.
The win carried historic weight. It marked Kappa Alpha Theta’s second consecutive title and its 10th championship. It became the first women’s team to reach double-digit victories since the race began in 1988. The result reinforced the program’s long-standing presence in the event.
Elsewhere, the race also highlighted the demands and unpredictability of Little 500. WSR’s effort stood out as one shaped by both adversity and persistence. The early crash and two-rider format lead by then-junior Sophie Boller and then-senior Willow Thompson placed the team at a disadvantage that proved difficult to overcome, yet it remained competitive for stretches before ultimately finishing in eighth.
The final standings reflected the depth of the field, with multiple teams still in contention deep into the race and the outcome undecided until the final sprint. The inability of any one team to separate itself highlighted the increasingly competitive nature of the women’s race.
Looking back, the 2025 edition is remembered less for sustained dominance and more for the moments that defined it: The early crash that reshaped the field, the gradual narrowing of contenders and a final lap that brought six teams together in a sprint decided by fractions of a second.
The women’s Little 500 race will return to Bill Armstrong Stadium at 4 p.m. April 24.
This story was originally published in the Indiana Daily Student's spring 2026 Little 500 Guide.
