BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – On the heels of winning both the men’s and women’s Southeastern Conference Cross Country Championships, Alabama earned a trio of yearly SEC awards, the league office announced Tuesday.
Victor Kiprop, the 2021 SEC Freshman of the Year, was voted the 2022 SEC Runner of the Year, while Hilda Olemomoi earned SEC Freshman of the Year accolades. Dan Waters became the first UA coach in program history to be named both the men’s and women’s SEC Cross Country Coach of the Year.
Victor Kiprop – Men’s SEC Runner of the Year
- Kiprop is undefeated this season, including winning the SEC and NCAA South Regional Championships
- He is the second Alabama student-athlete to be named the men’s SEC Runner of the Year, following Eliud Kipsang in 2021
- Overall, Alabama has earned men’s SEC Runner of the Year accolades nine times, including five of the last eight
Hilda Olemomoi – Women’s SEC Freshman of the Year
- Olemomoi finished third or better in every race this season, including taking third at the SEC Championships and the NCAA South Regional Championships
- She earned a trio of SEC Freshman of the Week honors
- The rookie is the third member of the UA women’s program to earn SEC Freshman of the Year, following Ashley LaBudde (1998) and Dawn Boggs (1999)
Dan Waters – Men’s and Women’s SEC Coach of the Year
- Waters led Alabama to its first women’s SEC title since 1987 and its first by the men since 2009
- This year’s titles also mark the first time that Alabama has won both the men’s and women’s championships in the same season
- The Crimson Tide is the first program outside of Arkansas to win the men’s and women’s titles in the same year since 1990
- Alabama also advanced both the men and women to the NCAA Championships in the same season for the third time in program history and the second year in a row
NCAA All-South Region Accolades
Up Next
- The Crimson Tide women earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships after winning their first NCAA South Regional Championship since 1986
- The UA men earned an at-large bid for the 2022 championships
- The NCAA Championships will be held Saturday, Nov. 19 in Stillwater, Okla.
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