PULLMAN, Wash. (Sept. 3, 2024) – Washington State freshmen cross country runners, Zenah Cheptoo and Evans Kurui, were named the women’s and men’s West Coast Conference Cross Country Runners of the Week, respectively, the conference announced Monday.
“Two absolutely amazing performances by our freshmen in Zenah and Evans – two course records,” said WSU Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Wayne Phipps. “It’s an incredible achievement for both.”
At last Friday’s season-opening WSU Alumni Open, held at the Colfax Golf Club, redshirt-freshman Cheptoo captured top honors in her first collegiate cross country race, crossing the line of the 4k race in 13:05.16. The time was a course record, eclipsing the previous mark by nine seconds, set in 2017 by NCAA Cross Country All-American Vallery Korir. Cheptoo, who last spring reached the NCAA West Region Preliminary Round in the 5000m, posted a winner margin of 39 seconds over second-place finished Nicole Bissell.
In the men’s 6k race, Kurui also finished first in his collegiate debut, crossing the line in 16:56.72. The time was a course record, shattering the previous mark by over 28 seconds. Even more impressive, Kurui captured the race by more than 54 seconds over teammate Brian Barsaiya, who crossed in 17:50.10. Barsaiya had been WSU’s top finisher at last year’s NCAA West Region Championships, finishing 36th.
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