Alabama Women Take Third at NCAA Cross Country Championships, Men Finish 27th

STILLWATER, Okla. – The Alabama women finished a program-best third overall at the 2022 NCAA Cross Country Championships at The Greiner Family OSU Cross Country Course in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday morning.

The event capped an extraordinary season for the Crimson Tide women, who took home their first NCAA trophy (top four teams make the podium) after winning their first Southeastern Conference title since 1987 and first NCAA South Regional Championships since 1986.

The women’s previous best finish came in 1987 when the Crimson Tide finished sixth. Saturday also marked the UA women’s third top-10 finish, after taking eighth two years ago and sixth in 1987. The Alabama men finished 27^th, matching their finish from a year ago.

Alabama Head Coach Dan Waters Said

“Our women finished off an amazing season with the best national championship finish in program history. They were in it from the start and battled their way to our first podium restul, which means we’re bring NCAA hardware back to Tuscaloosa. We’re super proud of the job they’ve done all season and the way they’ve represented this University. We didn’t have the finish we were capable of on the men’s side, but overall, it was a great season for us and we’re looking forward to keeping things rolling on the track.”

The Crimson Tide Women – 3^rd (166 points)

• In all, Alabama put four runners in the top 16, led by rookie Hilda Olemomoi, who finished in sixth with a time of 19:45.6
• Amaris Tyynismaa (19:48.2) was ninth, marking her second top-10 finish at nationals following a third-place showing two years ago
• Flomena Asekol (19:56.5) took 14^th and Mercy Chelangat (19:58.4) crossed the line in 16^th
• Elka Machan (20:57.7) rounded out Alabama’s scoring five, finishing 155^th
• Jami Reed (21:40.7) finished in 222^nd and Sam McDonnell (22:37.2) was 248^th
• It was Alabama’s 11^th top-25 finish at the national championships, 10^th in the top 20 and third in the top 10
• It was the women’s third-consecutive, top-15 finish after taking eighth in 2020 and 15^th in 2021

The Alabama Men – 27^th (683 points)

• Victor Kiprop led the way for the men, finishing 66^th in a time of 29.52.5, while Eliud Kipsang (30:11.6) crossed the line in 98^th
• Jacob Wiggers (31:01.2) finished 198^th and Hillary Cheruiyot (31:09.3) took 209^th
• Brad Grant rounded out the Tide’s scoring five, taking 232^nd in a time of 31:38.8
• Gavin Saacke (32:05.1) and Brady Barton (32:30.2) rounded…