2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country Regional Awards

NEW ORLEANS – Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country season were announced on Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) following the conclusion of the season.

Regional Award History: Athletes of the Year | Coaches of the Year

Many of these athletes and coaches ended their season this past weekend at the 2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri.

Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches following the conclusion of the NCAA Championships. Only individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.

Men’s Athletes of the Year

The Dan McClimon Award
GREAT LAKES REGION — Nickson Kogei — Cincinnati

Kogei won the individual title at the Great Lakes Region Championships and later finished 18th at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri. The Cincinnati standout also won the Joe Piane Invitational, the Angel Mounds Invitational, and the RedHawk Rumble, and placed eighth at the Big 12 Championships.

The Charles Werner Award
MID-ATLANTIC REGION — Myles Hogan — Princeton

Hogan finished second at the Mid-Atlantic Region Championships and later placed 45th at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri. The Princeton standout also won the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships and finished second at the Princeton Fall Classic.

The Bill Bergan Award
MIDWEST REGION — Brian Musau — Oklahoma State

Musau finished fourth at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, to lead Oklahoma State to the team title. Earlier in the season, Musau won the individual title at the Big 12 Championships, finished fifth at the Weis-Crockett Invitational, and was 17th at the Midwest Region Championships.

MOUNTAIN REGION — Habtom Samuel — New Mexico

Samuel capped an undefeated season with an individual title at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri. The New Mexico standout also topped the podium at the Mountain Region Championships, the Mountain West Conference Championships, as well as the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational.

The Fred Tootell Award
NORTHEAST REGION — Fredrick Kipkosgei — Hofstra

Kipkosgei won the individual title at the Northeast Region Championships and later placed 38th at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri. The Hofstra standout also won the CAA Championships and the LIU Fall Festival.

SOUTH REGION — Kelvin Cheruiyot — Florida

Cheruiyot won the individual title at the South Region Championships and later finished 14th at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri. The Florida standout also won the SEC Championships and the NCAA Pre-National, and placed 16th at the Gans Creek Classic.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Timothy Chesondin — Arkansas

Chesondin won the individual title at the South Central Region Championships and later finished 19th at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri. The Arkansas standout also won the Chile Pepper Festival and placed third at both the SEC Championships and the NCAA Pre-National.

SOUTHEAST REGION — Rocky Hansen — Wake Forest

Hansen took runner-up honors at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, just eight days after winning the individual title at the Southeast Region Championships. The Wake Forest standout also won the ACC Championships and the Virginia/Panorama Farms Invitational.

The John Chaplin Award
WEST REGION — Solomon Kipchoge — Washington State

Kipchoge finished third at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, just eight days after winning the individual title at the West Region Championships. The Washington State standout also took top individual honors at the West Coast Conference Championships and the Gans Creek Classic, and placed runner-up the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, the Cougar Classic, and the Washington State Invitational.

Men’s Coaches of the Year

The Billy Hayes Award
GREAT LAKES REGION — Chris Neal — Notre Dame

Neal, in his second year as head coach at Notre Dame, led the Fighting Irish to the team title at the Great Lakes Region Championships with 60 points and later finished 13^th at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri. Earlier in the season, Notre Dame was fourth in the ACC Championships.

The Harry Groves Award
MID-ATLANTIC REGION — Jason Vigilante — Princeton

Vigilante, in his 14^th year as head coach at Princeton, led the Tigers to the team title at the Mid-Atlantic Region Championships with 45 points and later finished 27^th at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri. Earlier in the season, Princeton won the team title at the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships with 32 points.

The Roy Griak Award
MIDWEST REGION — Dave Smith — Oklahoma State

Smith, in his 20^th year as head coach at Oklahoma State, led the Cowboys to the team title at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, with 57 points. Earlier in the season, Oklahoma State also won team titles at the Midwest Region Championships with 38 points and Big 12 Conference Championships with 20 points.

The Chick Hislop Award
MOUNTAIN REGION — Darren Gauson — New Mexico

Gauson, in his third year as head coach at New Mexico, led the Lobos to a runner-up finish at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, with 82 points. Earlier in the season, New Mexico won team titles at the Mountain Region Championships with 37 points and Mountain West Conference Championships with 26 points.

The Robert Grieve Award
NORTHEAST REGION — Brien Bell — Syracuse

Bell, in his eighth year as head coach at Syracuse, led the Orange to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, with 212 points. Earlier in the season, Syracuse won the team title at the Northeast Region Championships with 32 points and was runner-up at the ACC Championships with 65 points.

The Dave Walker Award
SOUTH REGION — Dan Waters — Alabama

Waters, in his 15^th year as head coach at Alabama, led the Crimson Tide to a sixth-place finish at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, with 253 points. Earlier in the season, Alabama won team titles at the South Region Championships with 37 points and SEC Championships with 64 points.

The Johnny Morriss Award
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Adrian Myers — Tulane

Myers, in his fifth year as head coach at Tulane, led the Green Wave to the team title at the South Central Region Championships with 44 points and later finished 21^st at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri. Earlier in the season, Tulane was runner-up in The American Conference Championships with 41 points.

SOUTHEAST REGION — Vin Lananna — Virginia

Lananna, in his seventh year as head coach at Virginia, led the Cavaliers to a seventh-place finish at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, with 303 points. Earlier in the season, Virginia finished third in the Southeast Region Championships with 95 points and won the team title at the ACC Championships with 61 points.

The Dean Miller Award
WEST REGION — Jerry Schumacher — Oregon

Schumacher, in his fourth year as head coach at Oregon, led the Ducks to a fifth-place finish at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, with 239 points. Earlier in the season, Oregon won team titles at the West Region Championships with 55 points and Big Ten Conference Championships with 36 points.

Women’s Athletes of the Year

GREAT LAKES REGION — Mary Bonner Dalton — Notre Dame

Dalton finished tenth at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, after placing second at the Great Lakes Region Championships. The Notre Dame sophomore also won the individual title at the Joe Piane Invitational, finished second at both the ACC Championships and the National Catholic Championships, and placed fourth at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational.

MID-ATLANTIC REGION — Joy Naukot — West Virginia

Naukot won the individual title at the Mid-Atlantic Region Championships and later finished 12th at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri. The West Virginia standout also finished runner-up at the Big 12 Championships, third at the Swags Louisville Cross Country Classic, and tenth at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational.

MIDWEST REGION — Isca Chelangat — Oklahoma State

Chelangat finished seventh at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, just eight days after winning the individual title at the Midwest Region Championships. The Oklahoma State standout took fourth at the Big 12 Championships and took top individual honors at the Cowboy Jamboree to open the season.

MOUNTAIN REGION — Jane Hedengren — BYU

Hedengren capped a sensational freshman season with a runner-up finish at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri. The BYU standout started the season with three consecutive wins – and course records – at the NCAA DI Pre-National, the Big 12 Championships, as well as the Mountain Region Championships.

NORTHEAST REGION — Charlotte Richman — Army West Point

Richman entered the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, fresh off three consecutive wins. The most recent came at the Northeast Region Championships, while others came at the Patriot League Championships and the Army West Point-Navy Dual. The Army standout would ultimately finish 211th at the NCAA Championships.

SOUTH REGION — Doris Lemngole — Alabama

Lemngole capped an undefeated season with an individual title at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri. The Alabama standout also took top individual honors at the South Region Championships and the SEC Championships.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Sydney Vaught (Thorvaldson) — Arkansas

Vaught finished runner-up at the South Central Region Championships and later took 13th at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri. The Arkansas standout, who won the individual title at the Chile Pepper Festival, also placed top 15 at the SEC Championships and the Pre-National Invitational.

SOUTHEAST REGION — Hannah Gapes — NC State

Gapes finished fifth – and led NC State to the team title – at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri. The NC State standout also took runner-up honors at the Southeast Region Championships, was fifth at the ACC Championships, and 11th at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational. Gapes earned victories at both the adidas XC Challenge and the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational earlier in the season.

WEST REGION — Silan Ayyildiz — Oregon

Ayyildiz finished ninth at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, just eight days after taking third at the West Region Championships. The Oregon standout also placed third at the Big Ten Championships.

Women’s Coaches of the Year

GREAT LAKES REGION — Matt Sparks — Notre Dame

Sparks, in his eighth year as head coach at Notre Dame, led the Fighting Irish to a seventh-place finish at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, with 278 points. Earlier in the season, Notre Dame won the team title at the Great Lakes Region Championships with 22 points and was runner-up at the ACC Championships with 89 points.

MID-ATLANTIC REGION — Sean Cleary — West Virginia

Cleary, in his 19^th year as head coach at West Virginia, led the Mountaineers to a ninth-place finish at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, with 280 points. Earlier in the season, West Virginia won the team title at the Mid-Atlantic Region Championships with 56 points and finished third in the Big 12 Conference Championships with 86 points.

MIDWEST REGION — Jill Miller — Northwestern

Miller, in her seventh year as head coach at Northwestern, led the Wildcats to a runner-up finish at the Midwest Region Championships with 86 points and later finished 18^th at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri. Earlier in the season, Northwestern finished third in the Big Ten Conference Championships with 96 points.

The Patrick Shane Award
MOUNTAIN REGION — Diljeet Taylor — BYU

Taylor, in her 10^th year as head coach at BYU, led the Cougars to a runner-up finish at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, with 130 points. Earlier in the season, BYU was runner-up in the Mountain Region Championships with 47 points and won the team title at the Big 12 Conference Championships with 38 points.

The Ray Treacy Award
NORTHEAST REGION — Pete Watson — Boston College

Watson, in his fourth year as head coach at Boston College, led the Eagles to the team title at the Northeast Region Championships with 60 points and later finished 29^th at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri. Earlier in the season, Boston College finished seventh in the ACC Championships.

SOUTH REGION — Will Palmer — Florida

Palmer, in his third year as head coach at Florida, led the Gators to a fifth-place finish at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, with 225 points. Earlier in the season, Florida won team titles at the South Region Championships with 52 points and SEC Championships with 45 points.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Wendel McRaven — Texas A&M

McRaven, in his 14^th year as head coach at Texas A&M), led the Aggies to the team title at the South Central Region Championships with 71 points and later finished 31^st at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri. Earlier in the season, Texas A&M finished sixth at the SEC Championships.

The Rollie Geiger Award
SOUTHEAST REGION — Laurie Henes — NC State

Henes, in her 20^th year as head coach at NC State, led the Wolfpack to the team title at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, with 114 points. Earlier in the season, NC State won team titles at the Southeast Region Championships with 55 points and ACC Championships with 28 points.

The Tom Heinonen Award
WEST REGION — Shalane Flanagan — Oregon

Flanagan, in her second year as head coach at Oregon, led the Ducks to a third-place finish at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Missouri, with 153 points. Earlier in the season, Oregon was runner-up at the West Region Championships with 75 points and won the team title at the Big Ten Conference Championships with 18 points.