Washington State University Athletics
Saturday, November 2
Stockton, Calif.
TBD
Washington State University
vs
WCC Championships
Kurui Claims WCC Title, Cheptoo Third for Cougar XC
November 02, 2024 | Cross Country
LODI, Calif. – Washington State cross country freshman Evans Kurui raced to the 2024 West Coast Conference Cross Country Men's Championship, Saturday morning at Micke Grove Links in Lodi, Calif., as the Cougars claimed third in the men's and women's races. Freshman Zenah Cheptoo led the Wazzu women with a third-place finish as both WSU squads finished third in the team standings.
Kurui, a freshman from Kenya, became the first Cougar to win the cross country conference championship since NCAA and world champion Bernard Lagat won the Pac-10 Championship as a freshman in 1997. Kurui is the ninth Coug to win the 12th individual conference title in WSU men's cross country history.
Kurui broke the finish line in 22:52.00, leading from the opening gun and expanding his lead throughout the race at the Micke Grove Golf Links outside Stockton, Calif. The true freshman finished 20 seconds ahead of the next-closest competitor to clinch the individual title.
In addition to winning the title, Kurui was named the WCC Freshman of the Year, while also being named All-WCC First Team, along with teammate Leif Swanson. Brian Barsaiya was named to the second team.
In the women's race, Cheptoo podiumed for the Cougars with a 20:06.3 finish, taking third place in her first cross country championships. The freshman averaged a 5:23 mile and missed her 6k personal best by just two seconds.
The Cougar women boasted four additional top-20 finishes with freshman Caroline Jepkorir running a personal best 20:30.6 in the 6k championship course. Seniors Alaina Stone Boggs and Neema Kimtai clocked season-best performances to clinched 13th and 16th place respectively. Sophomore Nicole Bissell rounded out the top-20 with a personal best 20:59.3.
Cheptoo made it a Cougar sweep as she was named the WCC Freshman of the Year as well as earning All-WCC First Team honors. Jepkorir and Stone Boggs were named the All-WCC Second Team.
Four Cougar men also finished in the top-20 of the 8k event, with senior Leif Swanson earning a 10th-place finish in 23:53.3. Fellow senior Brian Barsaiya followed Swanson in 11th place with senior Kelvin Limo rounding out the WSU senior trio in 24:18.5 for 16th place.
The Cougar programs will return to the Palouse to prepare to host the 2024 NCAA Wet Regional Championship at Colfax Golf Club in Colfax, Washington, Friday, Nov. 15.
Women's Team Standings Score Scoring Order
1 Gonzaga 35 1-5-7-8-14(17)(23)
2 Portland 49 2-4-9-10-24(28)(30)
3 Washington St. 63 3-11-13-16-20(22)(33)
4 Oregon State 83 6-15-18-19-25(29)(31)
5 St. Mary's (Cal.) 160 12-27-37-39-45(51)(54)
6 San Francisco 169 21-26-35-40-47(58)(66)
7 Santa Clara 217 36-41-43-48-49(53)(56)
8 San Diego 241 38-44-50-52-57(61)(63)
9 Loyola Marymount 262 34-42-55-62-69(73)(74)
10 Pepperdine 267 32-46-60-64-65(68)(71)
11 Pacific 343 59-67-70-72-75(76)
WSU Women's Finishers Yr. Time
3 CHEPTOO, Zenah FR 20:06.3
11 JEPKORIR, Caroline FR 20:30.6 (PB)
13 STONE BOGGS, Alaina SR 20:30.9 (SB)
16 KIMTAI, Neema SR 20:42.1 (SB)
20 BISSELL, Nicole SO 20:59.3 (PB)
22 DURAN, Jessica SO 21:04.6 (PB)
35 COLBERT, Sabrina FR 21:38.9 (PB)
40 NARUS, Kaleena JR 21:50.4
44 SIEBERT, Lindsay FR 22:06.9
49 NICHOLS, Maya SR 22:09.3 (PB)
Men's Team Standings Score Scoring Order
1 Portland 27 2-4-5-7-9(15)(17)
2 Gonzaga 42 3-6-8-12-13(14)(18)
3 Washington St. 61 1-10-11-16-23(31)(33)
4 Santa Clara 131 20-21-22-29-39(40)(42)
5 St. Mary's (Cal.) 156 24-30-32-34-36(38)(41)
6 San Francisco 176 19-28-35-46-48(50)(51)
7 Pepperdine 179 26-27-37-44-45(47)(49)
8 San Diego 227 25-43-52-53-54(55)(56)
WSU Men's Finishers Yr Time
1 KURUI, Evans FR 22:52.0
10 SWANSON, Leif SR 23:53.3
11 BARSAIYA, Brian SR 23:59.5
16 LIMO, Kelvin SR 24:18.5
25 BRUCE, Evan SO 24:42.0
36 EASTON, Jacob SR 25:00.7
39 COOK, Leo FR 25:14.7
41 SWEDIN, Eric SO 25:15.5
44 ADEN, Micaiah FR 25:26.9
61 WILCOTT, Grayson JR 26:43.1
Kurui, a freshman from Kenya, became the first Cougar to win the cross country conference championship since NCAA and world champion Bernard Lagat won the Pac-10 Championship as a freshman in 1997. Kurui is the ninth Coug to win the 12th individual conference title in WSU men's cross country history.
Kurui broke the finish line in 22:52.00, leading from the opening gun and expanding his lead throughout the race at the Micke Grove Golf Links outside Stockton, Calif. The true freshman finished 20 seconds ahead of the next-closest competitor to clinch the individual title.
In addition to winning the title, Kurui was named the WCC Freshman of the Year, while also being named All-WCC First Team, along with teammate Leif Swanson. Brian Barsaiya was named to the second team.
In the women's race, Cheptoo podiumed for the Cougars with a 20:06.3 finish, taking third place in her first cross country championships. The freshman averaged a 5:23 mile and missed her 6k personal best by just two seconds.
The Cougar women boasted four additional top-20 finishes with freshman Caroline Jepkorir running a personal best 20:30.6 in the 6k championship course. Seniors Alaina Stone Boggs and Neema Kimtai clocked season-best performances to clinched 13th and 16th place respectively. Sophomore Nicole Bissell rounded out the top-20 with a personal best 20:59.3.
Cheptoo made it a Cougar sweep as she was named the WCC Freshman of the Year as well as earning All-WCC First Team honors. Jepkorir and Stone Boggs were named the All-WCC Second Team.
Four Cougar men also finished in the top-20 of the 8k event, with senior Leif Swanson earning a 10th-place finish in 23:53.3. Fellow senior Brian Barsaiya followed Swanson in 11th place with senior Kelvin Limo rounding out the WSU senior trio in 24:18.5 for 16th place.
The Cougar programs will return to the Palouse to prepare to host the 2024 NCAA Wet Regional Championship at Colfax Golf Club in Colfax, Washington, Friday, Nov. 15.
Women's Team Standings Score Scoring Order
1 Gonzaga 35 1-5-7-8-14(17)(23)
2 Portland 49 2-4-9-10-24(28)(30)
3 Washington St. 63 3-11-13-16-20(22)(33)
4 Oregon State 83 6-15-18-19-25(29)(31)
5 St. Mary's (Cal.) 160 12-27-37-39-45(51)(54)
6 San Francisco 169 21-26-35-40-47(58)(66)
7 Santa Clara 217 36-41-43-48-49(53)(56)
8 San Diego 241 38-44-50-52-57(61)(63)
9 Loyola Marymount 262 34-42-55-62-69(73)(74)
10 Pepperdine 267 32-46-60-64-65(68)(71)
11 Pacific 343 59-67-70-72-75(76)
WSU Women's Finishers Yr. Time
3 CHEPTOO, Zenah FR 20:06.3
11 JEPKORIR, Caroline FR 20:30.6 (PB)
13 STONE BOGGS, Alaina SR 20:30.9 (SB)
16 KIMTAI, Neema SR 20:42.1 (SB)
20 BISSELL, Nicole SO 20:59.3 (PB)
22 DURAN, Jessica SO 21:04.6 (PB)
35 COLBERT, Sabrina FR 21:38.9 (PB)
40 NARUS, Kaleena JR 21:50.4
44 SIEBERT, Lindsay FR 22:06.9
49 NICHOLS, Maya SR 22:09.3 (PB)
Men's Team Standings Score Scoring Order
1 Portland 27 2-4-5-7-9(15)(17)
2 Gonzaga 42 3-6-8-12-13(14)(18)
3 Washington St. 61 1-10-11-16-23(31)(33)
4 Santa Clara 131 20-21-22-29-39(40)(42)
5 St. Mary's (Cal.) 156 24-30-32-34-36(38)(41)
6 San Francisco 176 19-28-35-46-48(50)(51)
7 Pepperdine 179 26-27-37-44-45(47)(49)
8 San Diego 227 25-43-52-53-54(55)(56)
WSU Men's Finishers Yr Time
1 KURUI, Evans FR 22:52.0
10 SWANSON, Leif SR 23:53.3
11 BARSAIYA, Brian SR 23:59.5
16 LIMO, Kelvin SR 24:18.5
25 BRUCE, Evan SO 24:42.0
36 EASTON, Jacob SR 25:00.7
39 COOK, Leo FR 25:14.7
41 SWEDIN, Eric SO 25:15.5
44 ADEN, Micaiah FR 25:26.9
61 WILCOTT, Grayson JR 26:43.1
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
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