Complete Men's Results I Complete Women's Results
ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Eastern Kentucky University men's cross country team punched its ticket to the NCAA Championships by finishing second overall at the NCAA Southeast Regional on Friday at Winthrop Farm.
The Colonels – ranked No. 16 in the country – scored 90 points on the day, losing only to N.C. State (83) in a very tight race. Virginia (102) and Furman (116) were also in the mix for the title.
The top two finishers from all nine regional meets across the country automatically advance to the NCAA Championships.
It is EKU's sixth all-time trip to the NCAA Championships, but first since 2015. The Colonels advanced to the national championship meet five consecutive years, from 2011 to 2015.
Redshirt freshman
James Sugira led the way for Eastern, running down Virginia Tech's Peter Seufer at the end to win the Southeast Region individual title with a 10K time of 29:26.9.
Sugira is the first Colonel to win the Southeast since Soufiane Bouchikhi in 2012.
Seniors
Jaime Romo and
Erick Rotich also delivered big-time performances for the Colonels. Romo placed 10
th overall out of 232 competitors with a 10K time of 30:15.7, while Rotich was 16
th in a time of 30:28.1
Sugira, Romo and Rotich were all named NCAA All-Southeast Region following the meet.
Freshman
Antoine Senard also came up clutch for the Colonels. Racing in his first-ever 10K, Senard made up 12 spots over the second half of the race to finish fourth on the team and 31
st overall in a time of 30:50.2.
Senior
David Bascuñana rounded out EKU's scoring five on the day by finishing 32
nd in a time of 30:51.4.
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The EKU women finished seventh out of 33 teams at the meet, defeating the likes of Clemson (ninth), Kentucky (10
th), Louisville (11
th) and North Carolina (14
th).
The Colonels were led by three All-Southeast Region performances from junior
Lilian Jeptoo Kiborus (10
th out of 245 runners / 20:17.5), freshman
Lilian Ndorobo (14
th / 20:23.6) and senior
Gladys Cheruiyot (24
th / 20:43.1).
Ndorobo made up 16 spots over the second half of the 6K race to surge into All-Region position.
Seniors
Alondra Hoyos (70
th / 21:28.6) and
Meggan Grams (78
th / 21:35.6) rounded out EKU's top-five on the day.
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The EKU men will race for a national championship next Saturday, November 17, in Madison, Wisconsin.
