Cross Country Teams Seek American Conference Championships This Saturday

Saturday, November 1

Concord, NC

8:15 am (M) / 9 a.m. (W)

Tulane University

American Conference Championships

Illia Kunin - American XC Preview - 2025

Cross Country Teams Seek American Conference Championships This Saturday

Oct 31, 2025 | Cross Country

Live Results | Championship Central | ESPN+

Concord, NC – This Saturday, November 1, Tulane University's cross country teams will compete for conference honors and team championships at the 2025 American Cross Country Championships. The event begins with the men's race at 8:15 a.m., followed by the women's race at 9 a.m. The meet is hosted by the University of Charlotte at Frank Liske Park in Concord, North Carolina, and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

Race Details

Men's 8K Lineup: Bernard Cheruiyot, Silas Kiptanui, Illia Kunin, Gilbert Rono, Paul James Pam, Juan Giron, Tommy Rice, Zach Van Houten, and Rogerio Amaral.
Women's 6K Lineup: Blezzin Kimutai, Dorcas Naibei, Elena Rengel-Liano, Janae Dean, Dana Rojas Vazquez, Allison Hall, Haley Harper, Alex Sharp, and Petra Dos Santos.

The top 15 finishers in each race will earn All-Conference honors. Additionally, the top male and female freshmen will be named Freshman of the Year. A new feature this year is the All-Freshman Team, comprised of the top five freshmen finishers in the conference.

Program Highlights
The Tulane men are the reigning 2024 American Conference Champions, with Bernard Cheruiyot earning the individual title, Runner of the Year honors, and the league's Freshman of the Year award.

Last season, Blezzin Kimutai finished as the women's runner-up and was named American Conference Freshman of the Year, aiding the women's team in securing second place overall. The women's squad claimed the conference championship in 2023.

Last Competition
On October 17, Tulane's teams wrapped up their final tune-ups before the Championships:

The men, led by Cheruiyot, placed 12th at the Nuttycombe Invitational in Wisconsin at the renowned Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course. They finished ahead of six nationally ranked teams, including No. 1 Iowa State, with 329 points and an average time of 24:04.04. Cheruiyot finished third overall among 230 runners with a time of 23:10.
The women's team finished second at the Crimson Classic in Alabama, behind No. 26 South Carolina and ahead of No. 13 Alabama, with 85 points and an average time of 20:23.4. Kimutai was the top Tulane finisher, crossing the line fifth overall in 19:43.7.

National and Regional Rankings
For the third consecutive week in the latest poll released, both Tulane cross country teams are ranked nationally by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA):

The men's team is ranked No. 19 nationally, climbing from No. 23 in September and reaching as high as No. 17 in October. They remain the top team in the South Central Region for the fourth straight week.
The women's team is ranked No. 29 nationally, after a strong second-place finish at the Crimson Classic. They continue to hold the top spot in the South Central Region for the third consecutive week.

Individual Accolades
Both programs have received numerous individual honors this fall. Cheruiyot has earned three weekly conference honors (September 2, September 30, and October 21). Naibei and Kimutai were also recognized on September 30 and October 21, respectively.

Upcoming Events
Both teams will compete in the NCAA South Central Regional in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Friday, November 14. The women's race begins at 10:30 a.m. at Agri Park, followed by the men's race at 11:30 a.m.

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