M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week (October 23)
NEW ORLEANS – The postseason is upon us!
Here are our M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week in collegiate cross country for October 23.
- NCAA Division I Men – Kelvin Kipkemboi, Alcorn State
- NCAA Division I Women – Stellah Kiptui, Alcorn State
- NCAA Division II Men – Andrew Amor, New Mexico Highlands
- NCAA Division II Women – Brianna Robles, Adams State
- NCAA Division III Men – Bennett Melita, Utica
- NCAA Division III Women – Katherine Kerchner, USMMA
- NAIA Men – Jackson Wilson, Rocky Mountain (Mont.)
- NAIA Women – Ellyse Tingelstad, College of Idaho
- NJCAA Division I Men – Housem Hrabi, Iowa Central CC
- NJCAA Division I Women – Maurine Limo, Iowa Central CC
- NJCAA Division II Men – Eric Hasby, Bismarck State (N.D.)
- NJCAA Division II Women – Aisha Ramone, Southeastern (Iowa) CC
- NJCAA Division III Men – Hayden Allington, Corning (N.Y.) CC
- NJCAA Division III Women – Kimiko Quayle, FIT
Find out more about each of these athletes by scrolling below.
National Athlete of the Week is an award selected and presented by the USTFCCCA Communications Staff at the beginning of each week to 14 collegiate cross country athletes, when applicable (male and female for each of the three NCAA divisions, the NAIA and the NJCAA).
Nominations are open to the public. Coaches and sports information directors are encouraged to nominate their student-athletes; as are student-athletes, their families and friends, and fans of their programs. Nominated athletes are noticed before those athletes found through searching TFRRS.
The award seeks to highlight not only the very best times, marks and scores on a week-to-week basis, but also performances that were significant on the national landscape and/or the latest in a series of strong outings. Quality of competition, suspenseful finishes and other factors will also play a role in the decision.
NCAA DIVISION I MEN – Kelvin Kipkemboi, Alcorn State
Sophomore | Kapsabet, Kenya
It was a two-man race through 3k of the 8k race on Monday.
Then, Kelvin Kipkemboi had other ideas for the final 5k at Apalachee Regional Park.
Kipkemboi put his foot on the gas and dropped Jose Gonzalez of Texas Southern on his way to top individual honors at the SWAC Cross Country Championships. The Alcorn State standout crossed the finish line in 26:16.4 to win by 37 seconds over Gonzalez. Kipkemboi’s lead was 0.8 seconds at 3k, 10.7 seconds by 5k and then that comfortable edge by the end of the race.
This is the first time in program history that a male athlete from Alcorn State has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Stellah Kiptui, Alcorn State
Senior | Kabarnet, Kenya
Stellah Kiptui continued her dominance of the SWAC on Monday.
Kiptui crushed the field for the second year in a row at the SWAC Cross Country Championships, as she won by one minute, 29 seconds in 18:22.9. That was a bigger margin than she outdistanced herself from the rest of her competitors last year – and that’s saying something. Kiptui captured the 2022 crown by one minute, zero-point-seven seconds.
The Alcorn State standout’s success doesn’t just reside on the grass circuit. Kiptui topped the podium seven other times at the SWAC Championships between the indoor and outdoor track & field seasons, including back-to-back sweeps of the distance crowns at the outdoor meet.
This is the second year in a row that Kiptui has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Kiptui previously earned national weekly honors after her resounding victory last year at the SWAC Cross Country Championships.
NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Andrew Amor, New Mexico Highlands
Senior | Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Andrew Amor has put himself on the map at the right time.
Hailing from Ballarat, Australia, the senior standout collected RMAC Runner of the Year honors after winning the conference title in 23:58. Amor entered the race alongside a handful of 2022 All-Americans that included Duncan Fuehne (3rd), Loic Scomparin (10th), and Simon Kelati (12th). He downed all three, even boasting a 13 second gap in the process.
Amor’s growth since committing to the Cowboys has been nothing short of impressive. This Saturday’s meet marked the third consecutive year that he walked home with a top-25 finish in what his head coach Bob DeVries dubbed the, “toughest cross country conference in the nation.” The New Mexico Highlands stud will have to keep digging deep as next on the slate is the South Central Regional Championship.
This is the second time in program history that an athlete from New Mexico Highlands has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Amor joins two-time winner Collins Kurui who laid claim to the title on October 12, 2015 and September 5, 2017.
NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Brianna Robles, Adams State
Senior | Palmview, Texas
Brianna Robles put on the burners this weekend and the RMAC didn’t stand a chance.
Spectators looked on as the Adams State star captured the third conference title of her career, crossing the line in 20:34 at the Washington Park course. The repeated success is a testament to showing up when it matters most, as Robles’ solo victory aided the Grizzlies to yet another team triumph. No. 3 Colorado School of Mines, No. 4 Western Colorado, No. 6 UC-Colorado Springs, No. 7 CSU Pueblo, No. 13 Colorado Christian, and No. 25 Fort Lewis headed the nationally ranked field.
Between Allison Beasley, Helen Braybrook, Anna Fauske, and Emily Schoellkopf the individual title was just as highly touted. The four names above posted an average finish of 22nd at the Division II National Championship last fall. Clearly unphased by this statistic, Robles defeated every challenger.
This is the second time in her career that Robles has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Robles previously earned national weekly honors on October 13th, 2020.
NCAA DIVISION III MEN – Bennett Melita, Utica
Freshman | Johnstown, New York
Bennett Melita isn’t running like a freshman.
Melita picked up his second individual title of his young career this past weekend, breaking the tape first at the Hamilton College Tune-up in 15:51.6. It wasn’t much of a race as Melita pulled away early and eventually won by 14.6 seconds over Sean Dristle of SUNY-ESF.
Earlier this season, Melita won at the SUNY Poly Wildcat Classic, which came one week before he placed sixth in the Men’s College White Race at the Paul Short Run. Now, Melita turns his attention to the Empire 8 Cross Country Championships this weekend in Rochester, New York.
This is the first time in program history that a male athlete has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Katherine Kerchner, USMMA
Junior | Reading, Pennsylvania
Tough conditions didn’t slow down Katherine Kerchner.
The USMMA standout cruised to the individual title at the Skyline Conference Cross Country Championships this past weekend. Kerchner beat her closest pursuer by 34.1 seconds. She was third at this meet last year, which propelled USMMA, as a team, to the conference title.
Now, Kerchner is poised to fight for a berth in the NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships on Saturday, November 18, with a potentially strong result at the Metro Region Championships.
This is the second year in a row that a female athlete from USMMA has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Kerchner joins 2022 Skyline Conference individual champion Jaquelynn Sheedy in that regard.
NAIA MEN – Jackson Wilson, Rocky Mountain (Mont.)
Senior | Box Elder, South Dakota
All eyes were on the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge this past weekend.
How could they not with ten nationally-ranked programs and countless talented individuals vying for titles in the Men’s Maroon 8k in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Jackson Wilson stood tallest out of those 243 individuals, crossing the finish line first in 24:37.2, nearly nine seconds ahead of runner-up Serhiy Shevcerno of Cumberlands (Ky.). Wilson was one of several All-Americans from the 2022 NAIA Cross Country Championships in the mix, including multiple athletes from Indiana Wesleyan, the top-ranked team in the nation.
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Rocky Mountain (Mont.) has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NAIA WOMEN – Ellyse Tingelstad, College of Idaho
Senior | Joseph, Oregon
College of Idaho might be the new No. 1 program in the next NAIA National Coaches’ Poll.
If that happens, Ellyse Tingelstad played a major role in helping the Coyotes earn that spot.
Tingelstad captured top individual honors at the Blazing Tiger NAIA Classic in 20:52 and third-ranked College of Idaho took down five other top-10 nationally-ranked programs, including No. 1 Taylor (Ind.), for the team title. She was one of four Coyotes in the top-10 on that morning.
This is the second year in a row that Tingelstad has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Tingelstad previously earned national weekly honors on October 17, 2022. Athletes from College of Idaho have now been honored three times.
NJCAA DIVISION I MEN – Housem Hrabi, Iowa Central CC
Sophomore | Tunisia
It was worth the wait for Housem Hrabi.
Hrabi finished his first cross country race in more than a year with a convincing victory at the NAIA Seminole Valley Stampede, clocking 24:45.1 to win the 8k race by 30.0 seconds – 58.3 seconds ahead of the next collegian.
This is the 15th time that a male athlete from Iowa Central CC has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Hrabi joins Kelvin Bungei (2021, plus twice in 2020), Pur Biel (twice in 2020), Awet Yohannes (2019), Ezekiel Kipchirchir (2018), Karim Achengli (four times in 2017), Omer Almog (2016) and Andrew Ronoh (twice in 2015) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Maurine Limo, Iowa Central CC
Freshman | Kapsabet, Kenya
Maurine Limo finished 16th as the leading NJCAA Division I runner in the NAIA Seminole Valley Stampede, running her fastest 5k of the year in 20:36.1.
This is the 20th time that a female athlete from Iowa Central CC has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Limo joins Chloe Garcia Grafing (2021), Eleonora Curtabbi (2020), Winrose Chesang (twice in 2019, once in 2018), Abeba Sullivan (twice in 2018), Adva Cohen (three times in 2017) and Leanne Pompeani (four times in 2016, five times in 2015) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION II MEN – Eric Hasby, Bismarck State (N.D.)
Freshman | Bismarck, North Dakota
Eric Hasby has never been faster in an 8k race than the 26:20.9 he ran in the Mount Marty Invitational, where he finished sixth as the top JUCO athlete. He has been the Mystics’ leading runner in four of their five meets this year.
This is the first time that a male or female athlete from Bismarck State (N.D.) has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NJCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Aisha Ramone, Southeastern (Iowa) CC
Sophomore | Kirtland, New Mexico
Always look for Aisha Ramone in the lead pack.
Ramone – who has been first or second in all five of her races this year – was runner-up at the NAIA Seminole Valley Stampede, topping all JUCO athletes as she was timed in 19:09.4 for 5k. Ramone was also runner-up in the steeplechase in the NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships last May.
This is the first time that a female or male athlete from Southeastern (Iowa) CC has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NJCAA DIVISION III MEN – Hayden Allington, Corning (N.Y.) CC
Sophomore | Beaver Dams, New York
It wasn’t even close for Hayden Allington.
Allington won the Mid-State Athletic Conference Championships with a time of 30:26.1 for 8k – that gave him victory by 1:25.8. It was his first win in a cross country race in over a year.
This is the first time that a male or female athlete from Corning (N.Y.) CC has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NJCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Kimiko Quayle, FIT (N.Y.)
Sophomore | Demarest, New Jersey
Kimiko Quayle’s first victory of the year was a runaway – literally.
Quayle won the Medgar Evers Legacy Invitational, covering the 6k course in 26:52.1 that gave her a winning margin of 1:21.6.
This is the third time that a female athlete from FIT (N.Y.) has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Quayle earned the honor earlier this year and joined Shannen Gallardo (2015) in that regard.