Akron Set for NCAA Great Lakes Cross Country Regional

Friday, November 15

Norton, Ohio

11:00 AM

University of Akron

NCAA Great Lakes Regional

Akron Set for NCAA Great Lakes Cross Country Regional

November 14 | Cross Country

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AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron cross country team under the direction of first-year head coach Evans Kiptoo is set to compete at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional hosted by the Mid-American Conference on Friday (Nov. 15) at the Silver Creek Cross Country Course (MAP) in Norton, Ohio (4325 S Medina Line Rd, Norton | OH 44203-5840).

The women's 6-kilometer race will begin at 11 a.m. with the men's 10K race to follow at 12 p.m.

The 34-team field in the women's championship includes teams from Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Butler, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Cleveland State, Dayton, Detroit Mercy, Eastern Michigan, Green Bay, Indiana, Indiana State, IU Indianapolis, Kent State, Marquette, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Milwaukee, Notre Dame, Oakland, Ohio, Ohio State, Purdue, Purdue Fort Wayne, Toledo, Valparaiso, Western Michigan, Wisconsin, Wright State, Xavier and Youngstown State.

The Zips' list of runners in the women's race this Friday will include senior Grace Henderson (Rostraver Township, Pa.), sophomore Megan Hipple (Warren, Ohio), senior Danielle Honaker (Ashland, Ohio), sophomore Mary Munga (Nyandarau, Kenya), senior Halle Sebest (Poland, Ohio), sophomore Kayla Sucharski (Galena, Ohio) and freshman Jadyn Towns (Berlin Heights, Ohio).

The 30-team men's field includes squads from Akron, Bowling Green, Butler, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Dayton, Detroit Mercy, Eastern Michigan, Evansville, Green Bay, Indiana, Indiana State, IU Indianapolis, Kent State, Marquette, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Milwaukee, Notre Dame, Oakland, Ohio, Ohio State, Purdue, Purdue Fort Wayne, Toledo, Valparaiso, Wisconsin, Wright State, Xavier and Youngstown St.

The Zips' list of runners in the men's race this Friday will include redshirt senior Heriberto Alvarez (Oswego, Ill.), junior Taye Gonzalez (Lewis Center, Ohio), sophomore Quinn Hopkins (Akron, Ohio), freshman Bismack Kipchirchir (Eldama Ravine, Kenya), sophomore Titus Kirui (Eldoret, Kenya), freshmen Moses Lekokei (Kilgoris, Kenya) and Emil Stanford (Sunbury, Ohio) and senior Justin Zapotoczny (Navarre, Ohio).

Akron garnered a trio of First-Team All-Mid-American Conference performances to highlight the efforts of the Zips at the MAC Cross Country Championships on Nov. 2 in Muncie, Ind.

Kipchirchir was selected as the MAC Men's Cross Country Freshman of the Year after crossing the line in a team-best time of 23:31.86 to place second. He joined Lekokei earning First-Team All-MAC accolades.

On the women's side, Munga collected First-Team All-MAC honors for the second consecutive year crossing the line in 20:36.55 to place sixth overall.

Lekokei was next across the line for the Akron men finishing third overall in a time of 23:49.95.

Rounding out the scoring efforts for the Zips was Kirui, Alvarez and Gonzalez as the trio crossed the line in 25:32.14, 25:51.75 and 26:16.00, respectively.

Additionally, Stanford, Zapotoczny and Hopkins added times of 26:4.37, 26:47.32 and 29:08.52.

Following Munga over the finish line in the women's race was Hipple in a time of 21:14.15.

Culminating Akron's scoring efforts were Henderson and Honaker along with Sucharski with times of 22:42.54, 22:45.35 and 22:54.58, respectively.

Adding times of 23:04.41, 23:28.23 and 24:50.87 was Sebest, Towns and Kerr.

In 2023, Timothy Chesondin and Hipple led the Zips' efforts at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional hosted by Wisconsin on Nov. 10, 2023, at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course in Madison, Wis.

Chesondin traversed the 10K course in a career- and school-record time of 29:51.5 to finish eighth overall. His performance earned Akron's second ever qualifying berth for the NCAA Cross Country Championships.

Hipple directed the women's efforts crossing the line in 21:30.1 to place 54th in the 6K race.

Collectively, the Zips placed 10th among 30 teams in the men's field and 17th among 32 squads on the women's side.

Brian Masai and Chase Easterling were next across the line for the Akron men registering career-best times of 30:40.4 and 30:45.2, respectively.

Rounding out the scoring efforts for the Zips with career-best times of 31:07.9 and 33:15.8 was Kirui and Kyle Stober.

Additionally, Anthony Nichols and sophomore Majid Abuaun (Rocky River, Ohio) added career-best times of 33:47.8 and 34:10.1.

In the women's field, following Hipple across the line for Akron was Munga in a time of 22:09.6.

Culminating the Zips' scoring performances with times of 22:18.5, 22:28.5 and 22:56.3, respectively, were Honaker and Sebest along with Kayla Gonzales.

Adding a time of 23:56.1 to round out Akron's efforts was Makenna Heimlich.