WICHITA, Kan. – The 2024 American Athletic Conference Cross Country Championship are set to take place on Friday, November 1 at L.W. Clapp Memorial Park in Wichita, Kansas. The women’s championship 6K is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. (ET)/4:05 p.m. (CT) with the men’s championship 8K to follow at 5:50 p.m. (ET)/ 4:50 p.m. (CT). Live coverage of the meet will commence on ESPN+ at 5:00 p.m. (ET)/4:00 p.m. (CT) with Trevor Fulkerson and Kyle Youmans on the call for both races.
NEW INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS WILL BE CROWNED
Neither individual champion from last year’s American Cross Country Championship will be competing in this year’s edition, which leaves an opening for a new champion to be crowned for the men and women. This will be the fourth straight season that the women will see a new individual champion and the sixth consecutive championship for the men.
TULSA IN SEARCH OF 11TH STRAIGHT AMERICAN MEN’S TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
The Tulsa men’s team looks to extend its reign of team success at the American Cross Country Championships at L.W. Clapp Memorial Park. The Golden Hurricane has captured the men’s team title at every American championship meet dating back to 2014, winning by 10 or more points in nine of the past ten championships, but Charlotte gave them a run in 2023, just six points behind in second place. Tulsa runners have won six individual conference championships during the streak.
TULANE WOMEN LOOK TO REPEAT; TULSA WOMEN EYE RETURN TO THE TOP
The Tulane Green Wave made history a season ago, winning their first American team championship, ending the four-year streak of Tulsa. The Green Wave return top five finisher Danna Diaz from a season ago, who ran a 20:58.0 race at the 2023 American Cross Country Championship in Greenville, North Carolina.
Tulsa, a six-time American champion (2014, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022), will look to return to the top place at the championship after finishing missing the podium for just the second time (2017) since joining The American prior to the 2014 season.
TOP PERFORMANCES OF THE 2024 SEASON
Tulane freshman Caroline Jeptanui was a two-time American Athlete of the Week this season, earning the award on October 14 and October 21. Jeptanui set the Green Wave program record in the 6K at the Loyola Lakefront Invitational, running a time of 19:04.9. At the Wisconsin Pre-National, Jeptanui was one of six finishers who broke the 6K course record, completing the race in a time of 19:17.2.
Florida Atlantic’s Elyssa Toal earned the first Athlete of the Week honors on September 1, helping guide the Owls to a first place team finish at the Florida Atlantic Invitational. 2022 American Athletic Conference individual champion Chloe Hershenow earned the September 15 honor after taking first place in the 5K race at the Wichita State JK Classic with a time of 17:16.5. Rice freshman Oliwia Kopec earned a top 15 finish in her first 5K race at the Chile Peper Festival at Arkansas, finishing wit a time of 16:59.8.
On the men’s side, Tulsa’s Shay McEvoy began the season on a hot note, running a 14:59.0 5K to take second place at the Oklahoma State Cowboy Preview. At the Iona Meet of Champions, Charlotte’s Maddon Muhammad earned first place in the 8K race with a time of 25:50.8.
Tulane freshman Bernard Cheruiyot took home 5th place in a field of 100 runners at the Sean Earl Lyola Lake Front Invitational, completing the 8K race in a time of 22:55.7. Wichita State’s Yared Kidane earned the final conference weekly honor on October 21 with a 5th place showing at the Bradley Pink Classic, completing the race with a time of 23:58.0.
