Evans Kurui Wins NCAA West Regional

Friday, November 15

Colfax, Wash.

11 a.m. (6k) / Noon (10k)

Washington State University

NCAA West Regional

November 15, 2024 | Cross Country

Men's Race Replay Women's Race Replay

By: WSU Athletic Comm., Zachary Daniels

COLFAX, Wash. – At the NCAA Division-1 West Regionals at Colfax Golf Club, Evans Kurui won the men's 10k West Regional with a time of 28:53.7. The men's team finished ninth overall. The women finished seventh overall with Zenah Cheptoo, the best of the Cougars, at 19:46.8. This run was a personal best for the freshman in her first season running at the collegiate level.

In the first race of the morning, the women's 6k, Zenah Cheptoo ran with the top group of runners for the entire race. By finishing in the top 10, she gave herself a chance to qualify for the National Championships. Alaina Stone Boggs ran a 20:18.9, finishing 28^th overall. Neema Kimtai (20:28.4) and Nicole Bissell (20:35.2) rounded out the top 45, finishing 34^th and 42^nd respectively. The 60^th and 64^th places were taken by Caroline Jepkorir (20:55.6) and Jessica Duran (20.58.3). Sabrina Colbert rounded out the Cougar team with a 94^th-place finish and a time of 21:22.4. Cheptoo, Bissell, Duran, and Colbert all ran personal best 6k times.

In the men's 10k race, freshman Evans Kurui showed why he is one of the best runners in the nation and took home the West Regional Title by 15 seconds. He led almost the entire race and by no close margins. He had leads of around 30 seconds over the leading pack trying to catch him. Kurui ran almost a minute faster than the winner of the West Regionals in 2019 when they were hosted at Colfax Golf Club. Brian Barsaiya held up with the lead pack for a lot of the race but ultimately finished 42^nd with a time of 29:58.1. 61^st and 62^nd place were taken by Evan Bruce (30:33.0) and Kelvin Limo (30:35.1), who ran close together for the entirety of the race. Leo Cook finished with a time of 31:06.2, earning himself 83^rd place. Kurui, Bruce, and Cook all earned personal bests in the race.

Kurui and Cheptoo will earn a place in the NCAA National Championships that will take place in Madison, Wisconsin.

Womens 6k - Team Results

1. Oregon, 43 points

2. Stanford, 67 points

3. Washington, 101 points

4. Gonzaga, 134 points

5. Portland, 156 points

6. Boise State, 168 points

7. Washington St., 169 points

8. Cal Poly, 237 points

9. Oregon State, 297 points

10. CBU, 317 points

11. UC Davis, 365 points

12. UCLA, 381 points

13. California, 463 points

14. San Diego State, 478 points

15. Idaho, 480 points

16. UC San Diego, 510 points

17. Seattle U, 522 points

18. Long Beach State, 570 points

19. San Francisco, 571 points

20. UC Riverside, 583 points

21. Eastern Washington, 584 points

22. UC Irvine, 585 points

23. Arizona, 638 points

24. St. Mary's (CA), 653 points

25. Cal St. Fullerton, 676 points

26. Hawaii, 729 points

27. Santa Clara, 770 points

28. Sacramento St., 777 points

29. UC Santa Barbara, 816 points

30. Fresno State, 829 points

31. San Diego, 908 points

32. Utah Tech, 951 points

33. USC, 984 points

34. Pepperdine, 986 points

35. Portland State, 1031 points

36. Loyola Marymount, 1050 points

37. CSUN, 1130 points

38. UNLV, 1220 points

39. Pacific, 1227 points

Womens 6k – WSU Individuals

Zenah Cheptoo, 19:46.8, 10^th (PB)

Alaina Stone Boggs, 20:18.9, 28^th

Neema Kimtai, 20:28.4, 34^th

Nicole Bissell, 20:35.2, 42^nd (PB)

Caroline Jepkorir, 20:55.6, 60^th

Jessica Duran, 20:58.3, 64^th (PB)

Sabrina Colbert, 21:22.4, 94^th (PB)

Men's 10k – Team Results

1. Washington, 66 points

2. Oregon, 68 points

3. Stanford, 73 points

4. CBU, 99 points

5. Portland, 102 points

6. Gonzaga, 135 points

7. Boise State, 181 points

8. Cal Poly, 235 points

9. Washington State, 244 points

10. Cal St. Fullerton, 324 points

11. California, 327 points

12. UC Davis, 357 points

13. Santa Clara, 362 points

14. St. Mary's (CA), 432 points

15. UC Riverside, 456 points

16. Arizona, 457 points

17. Eastern Washington, 534 points

18. UC San Diego, 541 points

19. UC Irvine, 617 points

20. UC Santa Barbara, 641 points

21. Pepperdine, 643 points

22. Utah Tech, 659 points

23. Idaho, 663 points

24. San Francisco, 702 points

25. Grand Canyon, 709 points

26. Long Beach St., 742 points

27. Sacramento St., 780 points

28. CSUN, 784 points

29. San Diego, 838 points

30. Seattle U., 859 points

31. Portland State, 875 points

Men's 10k - WSU Individuals

Evans Kurui, 28:53.7, 1^st (PB)

Brian Barsaiya, 29:58.1, 42^nd

Evan Bruce, 30:33.0, 61^st (PB)

Kelvin Limo, 30:35.1, 62^nd

Leo Cook, 31:06.2, 83^rd (PB)

Leif Swanson, 31:23.4, 100^th

Jacob Easton, 31:41.7, 117^th