Ednah Kurgat's Victory Leads New Mexico To 10th Conference Crown
Ednah Kurgat's Victory Leads New Mexico To 10th Conference Crown
Ednah Kurgat reached the finish line in 19:58 to win her first ever Mountain West Conference Championship and lead the No. 1-ranked Lobos to the program's 10th consecutive conference title.
Ednah Kurgat didn't leave anything to chance in her quest for a Mountain West Conference title. Within the first few minutes of Friday's championship in Albuquerque, the standout from New Mexico surged ahead of the top pack, which included national rival and NCAA champion Allie Ostrander of Boise State.
The early surge continued to grow throughout the 6K race as Kurgat solidified her status as the No. 1-ranked runner in the NCAA.
Kurgat reached the finish line in 19:58 to win her first Mountain West Conference Championship; she led the No. 1-ranked Lobos to the program's 10th consecutive conference title.
New Mexico swept the first three finishes with Kurgat, freshman Weini Kelati, and Charlotte Prouse going 1-2-3 for the Lobos. All-American Alice Wright followed in fifth and Sophie Eckel closed for 11th-place. In total, the team scored just 22 points to dominate the Mountain West Conference once again.
Kurgat's victory marks her third consecutive win after dominating the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational and the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational earlier this season.
Ostrander broke up the Lobos' pack and held on for fourth place. She helped the No. 8 Boise State squad to a runner-up team finish with 50 points.
*Course was 30m long
The men's race was won by No. 9 Colorado State, which claimed the first two spots with an individual title from Jerrell Mock and a runner-up finish by Cole Rockhold.
The early surge continued to grow throughout the 6K race as Kurgat solidified her status as the No. 1-ranked runner in the NCAA.
Kurgat reached the finish line in 19:58 to win her first Mountain West Conference Championship; she led the No. 1-ranked Lobos to the program's 10th consecutive conference title.
3-for-3 this season. And now your Mountain West champion! Congrats, Ednah Kurgat! #GoLobos #MWXC pic.twitter.com/yE9GuDN7Uk
— New Mexico XC/T&F (@UNMLoboXCTF) October 27, 2017
New Mexico swept the first three finishes with Kurgat, freshman Weini Kelati, and Charlotte Prouse going 1-2-3 for the Lobos. All-American Alice Wright followed in fifth and Sophie Eckel closed for 11th-place. In total, the team scored just 22 points to dominate the Mountain West Conference once again.
Kurgat's victory marks her third consecutive win after dominating the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational and the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational earlier this season.
Lobos celebration at the finish! #GoLobos #MWXC pic.twitter.com/RN6X7GiivF
— New Mexico XC/T&F (@UNMLoboXCTF) October 27, 2017
Ostrander broke up the Lobos' pack and held on for fourth place. She helped the No. 8 Boise State squad to a runner-up team finish with 50 points.
All-Time marks at New Mexico's course:
| TIME | ATHLETE | SCHOOL | YEAR |
| 19:45.9 | Sally Kipyego | Texas Tech | 2006 |
| 19:58.8 | Ednah Kurgat | New Mexico | 2017* |
| 20:11.6 | Weini Kelati | New Mexico | 2017* |
| 20:14.7 | Charlotte Prouse | New Mexico | 2017* |
| 20:27.8 | Allie Ostrander | Boise State | 2017* |
| 20:29.0 | Jenny Barringer | Colorado | 2009 |
| 20:30.5 | Jenny Barringer | Colorado | 2006 |
| 20:31.0 | Michaela Manova | BYU | 2002 |
The men's race was won by No. 9 Colorado State, which claimed the first two spots with an individual title from Jerrell Mock and a runner-up finish by Cole Rockhold.