Razorbacks Double Up In South Central Region; Men Defeat Tulane, Women Beat Texas By A Point

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Image by University of Arkansas

RESULTS | Auto Qualifiers - Arkansas men, Tulane men; Arkansas women, Texas women

Kirami Yego, Timothy Chesondin and Patrick Kiprop ran to a 1-2-3 finish in the NCAA South Central regional and the No. 3 Arkansas men won the team title with a scant 33 points to earn its auto qualifier for the NCAA Cross Country Championships on Nov. 23 in Madison, Wis. 

In the season's first 10k, the Razorback trio were all able to outkick fourth-place finisher Isaac Alonzo from Texas at Watts Cross Country Course in College Station, Texas. 

Yego finished two seconds ahead of his teammates in 29:09.4. Chesondin (29:11.4) and Kiprop (29:11.8) showed that Arkansas could have front-runners next week at the NCAA Championships. 

Tulane, the American Athletic Conference champion, scored 76 points to defeat Texas (84) for the second automatic qualifying spot, advancing to the program's first national meet since 1998. The Green Wave was led by the fifth-and sixth-place finishes of Jack Jennings and Bernard Cheruiyot, plus Illia Kunin in 10th. 

In addition to Alonzo, Jacob Pyeatt of Arkansas State (seventh), Dominic Kiptum of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (eighth) and Griffin Neal of Incarnate Word (ninth) earned automatic individual qualifying spots. 

Texas A&M was fourth with 127 points. 

In an exciting women's race, Arkansas edged out Texas for its 13th regional title, 80 to 81. 

Paityn Noe led the Razorbacks by running off with the individual win in 18:55.8 and had a 27-second margin at the finish line over Tulane freshman duo Caroline Jeptanui (19:22.9) and Blezzin Kemutai (19:24.7). 

Arkansas' Mia Cochran was ninth and Sydney Thorvaldson was 15th. 

Olivia Howell led Texas by placing fifth in 19:29.9.

Tulane was third with 107 points and LSU was fourth with 110. 

Ruth Kimeli of Baylor (fourth) and Lorena Rangel Batres of LSU also qualified as individuals.