Evans Kurui Wins the NCAA West Regional Cross Country Championships

COLFAX, Wash. – At the NCAA Division-1 West Regionals at Colfax Golf Club, Evans Kurui won the men’s 10k West Regional with a time of 28:53.7. The men’s team finished ninth overall. The women finished seventh overall with Zenah Cheptoo, the best of the Cougars, at 19:46.8. This run was a personal best for the freshman in her first season running at the collegiate level.
 
In the first race of the morning, the women’s 6k, Zenah Cheptoo ran with the top group of runners for the entire race. By finishing in the top 10, she gave herself a chance to qualify for the National Championships. Alaina Stone Boggs ran a 20:18.9, finishing 28^th overall. Neema Kimtai (20:28.4) and Nicole Bissell (20:35.2) rounded out the top 45, finishing 34^th and 42^nd respectively. The 60^th and 64^th places were taken by Caroline Jepkorir (20:55.6) and Jessica Duran (20.58.3). Sabrina Colbert rounded out the Cougar team with a 94^th-place finish and a time of 21:22.4. Cheptoo, Bissell, Duran, and Colbert all ran personal best 6k times.
 
In the men’s 10k race, freshman Evans Kurui showed why he is one of the best runners in the nation and took home the West Regional Title by 15 seconds. He led almost the entire race and by no close margins. He had leads of around 30 seconds over the leading pack trying to catch him. Kurui ran almost a minute faster than the winner of the West Regionals in 2019 when they were hosted at Colfax Golf Club. Brian Barsaiya held up with the lead pack for a lot of the race but ultimately finished 42^nd with a time of 29:58.1. 61^st and 62^nd place were taken by Evan Bruce (30:33.0) and Kelvin Limo (30:35.1), who ran close together for the entirety of the race. Leo Cook finished with a time of 31:06.2, earning himself 83^rd place. Kurui, Bruce, and Cook all earned personal bests in the race.
 
Kurui and Cheptoo will earn a place in the NCAA National Championships that will take place in Madison, Wisconsin.
 
 
Womens 6k – Team Results 

1. Oregon, 43 points  

2. Stanford, 67 points 

3. Washington, 101 points 

4. Gonzaga, 134 points 

5. Portland, 156 points 

6. Boise State, 168 points 

7. Washington St., 169 points 

8. Cal Poly, 237 points 

9. Oregon State, 297 points 

10. CBU, 317 points 

11. UC Davis, 365 points 

12. UCLA, 381 points 

13. California, 463 points 

14. San Diego State, 478 points 

15. Idaho, 480 points 

16. UC San Diego, 510 points 

17….