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