Men's Cross Country Creep Up to No. 9 in National Rankings
Following their regional success, the Colby men have climbed one more spot to No. 9 in the latest USTFCCCA NJCAA Division I National Coaches’ Poll, released Wednesday
COLBY, Kan. — Following their regional success, the Colby men have climbed one more spot to No. 9 in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NJCAA Division I National Coaches' Poll, released Wednesday (Oct. 29). The Trojans continue to rank among the nation's best, joining a loaded KJCCC field that includes Hutchinson (No. 2), Butler (No. 5), and Garden City (No. 15), Cloud County (No. 22) and Dodge City (No. 23).
For the now No. 9-ranked Colby men, sophomore Japhet Kiprono continued to lead the charge, crossing the line in eighth place with a time of 24:54.72, another sub-25 effort in an impressive sophomore campaign. Kiprono's run earned him All-Region and All-KJCCC honors. Right behind him, Kenan Delestre clocked 25:19.58 to finish 13th, giving the Trojans two top-15 finishers and valuable low sticks early in the scoring. Delestre also claimed All-Region recognition.
Freshmen Enoha Reizabal-Bellanger, Vincent Kirui, and Thomas Calas packed tightly to finish 19th (26:15.24), 24th (26:32.99), and 28th (26:51.55), closing out Colby's scoring five. The Trojans' third-place team finish placed them behind national powers Hutchinson and Butler.
With the men's teams finishing inside the top half of the Region 6 field, Colby now turns its attention to the NJCAA Cross Country National Championships, set for Nov. 8 and Nov. 11 in Fort Dodge, Iowa. The Trojans will look to build on their Region 6 momentum and make another strong statement on the national stage.