Tulsa Women Edge Out Tulane Women at 2024 American Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships; Tulane Men Win Tiebreaker Over Tulsa Men

WICHITA, Kan. – The Tulsa women’s cross-country team edged out Tulane by three points to win their seventh American Athletic Conference Championship, while the Tulane men’s team took home the team title over Tulsa, winning the tiebreaker to earn the first American Athletic Conference Championship for the Green Wave.

Tulsa won their American record seventh conference championship with all scorers finishing within the top 25 finishers.  Robyn Kowalski finished in fifth place at 21:00.3, while Ailey Mitchell was one position behind in sixth place at 21:01.7. Chloe Hershenow finished in 11^th place, finishing the course at 21:25.8, followed by Amy Morefield (16^th place; 21:36.7) and McKenna Terrell rounding out the Golden Hurricane scorers in 25^th place, finishing the course at 22:00.8

Tulane freshman Caroline Jeptanui took home the individual title, running a time of 20:14.5, while teammate Blezzin Kimutai (Freshman of the Year) came in second place at 20:32.7. Rice freshman Oliwia Kopec took home third place at 20:55.3. Other all-conference finishers included Carolina Perrone (fourth place; 20:59.4), North Texas’ Betty Bajika (seventh place, 21:08.2), Florida Atlantic’s Constance Pittet (eighth place; 21:16.2), Tulane’s Danna Diaz (ninth place, 21:22.0) and Charlotte’s Cali Coffin rounding out the top 10 at 21:23.9. 

North Texas’ Ximena Lopez came in 12^th place at 21:25.9, followed by Rice’s Alex Gobran (13^th place; 21:26.9), Wichita State’s Sarah Bertry (14^th place; 21:29.8) and Rice’s Daphne Mayer (15^th place; 21:31.9).

The Tulane men ended a 10-year run by Tulsa. With both teams scoring 33 points, the Green Wave won the tiebreaker to win their first American Athletic Conference team title. The Green Wave and Golden Hurricane combined for eight of the top ten finishers. Tulane’s top three finishers finished in the top five, including Bernard Cheruiyot (23:43.5) and Jack Jennings (24:02.3) taking first and second.  Cheruiyot also became the first freshman to win the individual title. Illia Kunin finished in fifth place with a time of 24:17.1, while Womdu Summa earned 7^th place at 24:28.1. Jordan Bendura was the final scorer for Tulane, earning 18^th place with a time of 24:53.4.

Tulsa’s Chris McLeod (third place; 24:08.6) and Jaden Forester (fourth place; 24:11.7) rounded out the top five, while Ben Brown (sixth place; 24:20.7) and Charlie Krasnoff (ninth place; 24:33.0) both finished in the top ten.

Other all-conference finishers included North Texas’ Victor Neiva (eighth place; 24:32.2), Charlotte’s Maddon Muhammad (10^th place; 24:35.8), Tulsa’s Shay McEvoy (11^th place; 24:37.6), East Carolina’s Alex Sawyer (12^th place; 24:39.0), Temple’s Graham Thomas (13^th place; 24:41.8), East Carolina’s Henry Lyon (14^th place; 24:44.8) and Tulsa’s James Knockton (24:48.0).

Tulsa head coach Steve Gulley and staff captured the American Women’s Coaching Staff of the Year honors after leading the Golden Hurricane to victory.  Tulane’s head coach Adrian Myers and staff captured the American Men’s Coaching Staff of the Year honors following the historic 8K win. 
2024 American Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships
 
Men’s Team Standings

1. Tulane – 33*
2. Tulsa – 33
3. Temple – 101
4. Wichita State – 135
5. Charlotte – 146
6. North Texas – 167
7. East Carolina – 195
8. Rice – 215
9. Memphis – 217
10. UTSA – 293
11. South Florida – 312
12. Florida Atlantic – 354

*Tiebreakers

Tulane (33)                 4             W-W-W-W-L

Tulsa (33)                   1             L-L-L-L-W

Women’s Team Standings

1. Tulsa – 63
2. Tulane – 66
3. Rice – 72
4. Charlotte – 79
5. North Texas – 124
6. Wichita State – 166
7. Florida Atlantic – 182
8. East Carolina – 194
9. UAB – 248
10. South Florida – 281
11. Memphis – 334
12. UTSA – 373
13. Temple – 386

Men’s All-Conference

1. Bernard Cheruiyot (Freshman of the Year), Tulane – 23:43.5
2. Jack Jennings, Tulane – 24:02.3
3. Chris McLeod, Tulsa – 24:08.6
4. Jaden Forester, Tulsa – 24:11.7
5. Illia Kunin, Tulane – 24:17.1
6. Ben Brown, Tula – 24:20.7
7. Wondu Summa, Tulane – 24:28.1
8. Victor Neiva, North Texas – 24:32.2
9. Charlie Krasnoff, Tulsa – 24:33.0
10. Maddon Muhammad, Charlotte – 24:35.8
11. Shay McEvoy, Tulsa – 24:37.6
12. Alex Sawyer, East Carolina – 24:39.0
13. Graham Thomas, Temple – 24:41.8
14. Henry Lyon, East Carolina – 24:44.8
15. James Knockton, Tulsa – 24:48.0

Women’s All-Conference

1. Caroline Jeptanui, Tulane– 20:14.5
2. Blezzin Kimutai, Tulane (Freshman of the Year) – 20:32.7
3. Oliwia Kopec, Rice – 20:55.3
4. Caroline Perrone, Charlotte – 20:59.4
5. Robyn Kowalski, Tulsa – 21:00.3
6. Ailey Mitchell, Tulsa – 21:01.7
7. Betty Bajika, North Texas – 21:08.2
8. Constance Pittet, Florida Atlantic – 21:16.2
9. Danna Diaz, Tulane – 21:22.0
10. Cali Coffin, Charlotte – 21:23.9
11. Chloe Hershenow, Tulsa – 21:25.8
12. Ximena, North Texas – 21:25.9
13. Alex Gobran, Rice – 21:26.9
14. Sarah Bertry, Wichita State – 21:29.8
15. Daphne Mayer, Rice – 21:31.9