M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week (Sept. 29, 2025)
NEW ORLEANS – That’s more like it.
Here are the M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week in collegiate cross country for September 29, 2025!
- NCAA Division I Men – Solomon Kipchoge, Washington State
- NCAA Division I Women – Rosemary Longisa, Washington State
- NCAA Division II Men – Ahmed Ibrahim, Alabama-Huntsville
- NCAA Division II Women – Grace Strongman, Colo. School of Mines
- NCAA Division III Men – Jack Stein, Pomona-Pitzer
- NCAA Division III Women – Riley Capuano, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
- NAIA Men – Yemane Mulugeta, Trinity Western (B.C.)
- NAIA Women – Jaynie Halterman, Taylor (Ind.)
- NJCAA Division I Men – Mohammed Mrahi, New Mexico JC
- NJCAA Division I Women – Juliana Sakat, Iowa Western CC
- NJCAA Division II Men – Gage Slagle, Walters State (Tenn.) CC
- NJCAA Division II Women – Abby Davis, Montcalm (Mich.) CC
- NJCAA Division III Men – Paul Clark, Onondaga (N.Y.) CC
- NJCAA Division III Women – Alicyn Gleesing, Kellogg (Mich.) CC
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 – Solomon Kipchoge, Washington State
Sophomore | Kapsabet, Kenya
Bernard Cheruiyot and Joash Ruto were still in contention for the individual title at the Gans Creek Classic with 800 meters left. That’s when Solomon Kipchoge surged, pulling away decisively en route to a course-record 22:24.7.
Kipchoge, Cheruiyot, and Ruto broke from he pack between 6k and 7k on the Gans Creek Cross Country Course, but Kipchoge made sure he’d cross the finish line first – crossing 7.3 seconds ahead of Ruto, who paced eventual team champion Iowa State.
This is the second year in a row that Kipchoge has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Kipchoge previously earned national weekly honors on October 21, 2024.
NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Rosemary Longisa, Washington State
Sophomore | Eldoret, Kenya
Just three races into her collegiate cross country career, Rosemary Longisa has already proven herself a bona fide contender for the individual crown come November 22.
The Washington State sophomore fended off a strong charge by Tennessee’s Mary Ogwoka to win the Women’s 6k Gold at the Gans Creek Classic in a course-record 19:07.0. The field was loaded, featuring multiple 2024 NCAA All-Americans as well as two former M-F Athletic National Athletes of the Week from this season – Utah Valley’s Morgan Nokes(September 8) and Alabama’s Caren Kiplagat (September 15).
Longisa remains undefeated this fall with three consecutive victories. While her margin was slimmer this time compared to the 40-second average of her first two wins, the result in Columbia, Missouri, showed she is ready to compete on the national stage.
This is the first time in program history that a female athlete from Washington State has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION II MEN – Ahmed Ibrahim, Alabama-Huntsville
Graduate Student | Portland, Oregon
All-America is a distinguished achievement.
Ahmed Ibrahim just beat six in a single race.
And on the course that will host the NCAA Championships.
The senior out of Alabama-Huntsville ran 24:10.0 to win the Lucian Rosa Invitational. In order of their finish at the 2024 NCAA DII Championships, Ibrahim took down Ethan Grolnic (9th), Kidus Begashaw (14th), Paul Knight (21st), Dawson Gunn (25th), Julian Campos (30th), and Jeremiah Vaille (37th). That’s more than a quarter of the returning All-Americans.
Ibrahim is brand new to the Chargers family, having transferred from Florida State during the offseason. Talk about a debut.
This marks the first time an athlete from Alabama-Huntsville has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Grace Strongman, Colo. School of Mines
Redshirt Senior | Prairie Village, Kansas
Bet that felt good.
Grace Strongman clocked a 6k PR of 20:36.8 this past weekend to win the Lucian Rosa Invitational on the challenging course that will host the NCAA Championships in November. Adams State’s Tristian Spence, the reigning outdoor 5000-meter champion, finished a full minute back in 21:36.8. The next-best non-Oredigger was CSU-Pueblo’s Olivia Drodz in 21:28.9.
Strongman helped tip the scales in the team race as well, paving the way for No. 4 Colo. School of Mines to upset No. 1 Adams State 51-77. Talk about the best of both worlds.
This marks the third time a female athlete from Colo. School of Mines has been named M-F National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Strongman joins Megan Wenham and three-time winner Jenna Ramsey-Rutledge.
NCAA DIVISION III MEN – Jack Stein, Pomona-Pitzer
Junior | Piedmont, California
If Pomona-Pitzer was searching for a low stick, it may have found one in Jack Stein.
The junior from Piedmont, California, led the Sagehens with a sixth-place finish at the UCR Invitational, holding his own against NCAA DI and NCAA DII competition. Stein’s performance powered Pomona-Pitzer to third place in the team standings, just three points shy of NCAA DI runner-up Long Beach State. He was also the top NCAA DIII finisher by more than 30 seconds.
This is the first time in program history that a male athlete from Pomona-Pitzer has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Riley Capuano, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Senior | Los Altos, California
Riley Capuano kept her strong season rolling at the UCR Invitational.
The senior from Los Altos, California, finished tenth overall in a race stacked with NCAA DI and NCAA DII talent, clocking 20:47.5. She finished eight seconds ahead of the next NCAA DIII runner – teammate Elle Marsyla – as the duo propelled Claremont-Mudd-Scripps to a clear fourth-place showing in the team standings.
Capuano started the 2025 campaign with a victory at the Coyote Challenge and then took runner-up honors at the DIII Pre-Nats before taking her talents to Riverside, California.
This is the third time in program history that a female athlete from Claremont-Mudd-Scripps has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Capuano joins 2022 honoree Natalie Bitetti and 2021 honoree Riley Harmon in that regard.
NAIA MEN – Yemane Mulugeta, Trinity Western (B.C.)
Senior | Surrey, British Columbia
Fast is fast.
Yemane Mulugeta turned heads this past weekend at the Bill Roe Classic, covering the 8k course in 23:51.3 and winning by 16 seconds. That is just the second sub-24 minute 8k by an NAIA athlete this season, joining Jack Anderson of The Master’s (Calif.) in that regard. Mulugeta led Trinity Western (B.C.) to a runner-up finish in the team standings behind NCAA DII No. 16 Western Washington and fellow NAIA foes Northwest (Wash.) and Lewis-Clark State (Idaho).
This is the first time in program history that an athlete from Trinity Western (B.C.) has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season.
NAIA WOMEN – Jaynie Halterman, Taylor (Ind.)
Sophomore | Thompson’s Station, Tennessee
Jaynie Halterman didn’t back down from a challenge.
The sophomore from Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, turned in a gritty performance at the FSU Invitational, placing fourth overall behind three NCAA DI athletes.
Halterman covered the rain-soaked 6k course in 20:04.7 – less than nine seconds off winner Edna Chepkemoi of LSU – and more than 18 seconds clear of fifth-place Yuya Sawada, also of LSU. She was the top NAIA finisher by a commanding 56-second margin.
This is the fifth time that Halterman has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. Halterman was already honored once this season on September 8 and took home national weekly honors three times as a freshman in 2024.
NJCAA DIVISION I MEN – Mohammed Mrahi, New Mexico JC
Sophomore | Kenitra, Morocco
Mohammed Mrahi made notable news while winning the inaugural Dr. Steve McCleery Invitational in Hobbs, New Mexico.
His victory was the first of his collegiate cross country career and his winning margin of 18.3 seconds came over a former M-F National Athlete of the Week in Amantle Modingwane of Ranger (Texas) CC.
In addition, Mrahi’s winning time of 23:39.9 in itself was significant, making him the eighth-fastest racer ever on the 8k course at Harry McAdams Park, which routinely hosts the NJCAA Region 5 Championships.
This is the third time that a male athlete from New Mexico JC has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Mrahi joins German Vega (2022) and Chris Korir (2021) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN – Juliana Sakat, Iowa Western CC
Freshman | Greater Accra Region, Ghana
Juliana Sakat rose up in competition for the Black Championship race at the Gans Creek Classic – her first attempt at the 6k distance as she raced in a field made up of athletes from predominantly from four-year programs.
Sakat responded well, taking fourth in 20:21.5 – about a second/kilometer faster than the pace in her 5k harrier best of 17:02.1 from earlier this year
Sakat arrived on campus in January and won seven NJCAA individual track & field titles combining indoors and outdoors. She is undefeated in all distances against NJCAA competition.
This is the 15th time that a female athlete from Iowa Western has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Sakat earned the honor earlier this year in joining Barbara Neiva (2024), Silvia Gradizzi (2023), Mercy Biwott (once in 2022, twice in 2021), Faith Linga (four times in 2020, three times in 2019) and Shanieke Watson (2016) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION II MEN – Gage Slagle, Walters State (Tenn.) CC
Freshman | Dandridge, Tennessee
Gage Slagle earned team honors for Walters State at the Twilight at John Hunt in Huntsville, Alabama. That nudges his season record to 3-2 with none other than his twin brother, Gavin.
Gage Slagle finished seventh in this race as the top JUCO athlete with a time of 26:27.0 over the 8k track at John Hunt Park, with Gavin taking 17th in 26:59.9 as both went sub-27 for the first time for the distance.
The Slagle twins have been a big reason for the Senators’ program-high No. 20 presence in the NJCAA DII national coaches’ poll as the duo has raced five times in six weeks this season.
This is the second time that a male athlete from Walters State has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Slagle joins Brando Resendiz (2022) in that regard.
NJCAA DIVISION II WOMEN – Abby Davis, Montcalm (Mich.) CC
Freshman | Vestaburg, Michigan
Abby Davis won big at the Michigan Community College Athletic Association’s Northern Conference Championships, earning conference Runner of the Year honors.
Davis won individual honors in the race with a 17.6-second victory over the 5k course in Petoskey, Michigan, with a time of 18:44.3.
She started the year with a similar dominating performance, winning the Grand Rapids CC Invitational by 18.6 seconds with a time of 19:21.1 for 5k. In her only race this season she was the top JUCO athlete at the Wayne State (Mich.) Warrior Challenge, clocking 23:52.5 for 6k in taking 23rd place overall.
Davis is a major reason for the Centurions’ No. 25 ranking in the latest NJCAA DII national coaches poll – not a just a program-first ranking but a school-first ranking in any sport.
This is the first time that an athlete from Montcalm has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country.
NJCAA DIVISION III MEN – Paul Clark, Onondaga (N.Y.) CC
Sophomore | Baldwinsville, New York
One of the few ways Paul Clark finds competition is racing against athletes from four-year programs.
And Clark impressed in his latest race, clocking a career-best 26:16.8 for 8k as the top JUCO runner in Roberts Wesleyan’s Harry F. Anderson Invitational, placing 49th.
Clark was fifth in last year’s NJCAA DIII national championships and has been significantly faster in races on two of the same courses he has lined up for this year. That includes a victory earlier this month in the SUNY Oswego Invitational, winning by over a minute in 20:09.9 for 6k.
This is the second time that a male athlete from Onondaga CC has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country as Clark himself was similarly honored last year.
NJCAA DIVISION III WOMEN – Alicyn Gleesing, Kellogg (Mich.) CC
Freshman | Plainwell, Michigan
Look no further than Alicyn Gleesing for an explanation why Kellogg is ranked No. 1 for the first time in the NJCAA DIII national rankings.
Gleesing was runner-up in the DII-dominated Michigan Community College Athletic Association’s Western Conference Championships, finishing the 5k course in Dowagiac, Michigan in 21:03.8.
It’s the third time in three races this year she’s been the top-finishing NJCAA DIII runner after finishing ninth at the St. Clair County (Mich.) CC Skippers Invitational and 29th in the Brian Diemer Classic, clocking a PR 20:47.2 for 5k in the latter.
This is the first time that a female athlete from Kellogg has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week in cross country.