OSU wins 5th NCAA cross country title

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA — Oklahoma State men’s and women’s cross country compiled a historic feat with the Cowboys claiming their first national title since 2012 and fifth overall and the Cowgirls claiming their second-straight podium finish at the Panorama Farms Cross Country Course last week.

The Cowboys now have five national championships in program history, with four coming under Director Dave Smith. The Cowboys put all five scorers in the top 15 for 49 points overall, besting defending champions Northern Arizona by 22 points. Their total score is the lowest winning score since 2005 (Wisconsin, 37). It also serves as the thirdlowest point total on the men’s side since 2000 and the 14th lowest since 1938, as well as being a program-best mark by 23 points.

Denis Kipngetich, Brian Musau and Fouad Messaoudi were the first three Cowboys across the line with all three placing in the top 10. Kipngetich scored first for the Cowboys with his fourth-place finish in the 10K at 28:59.7. Kipngetich concluded his historic freshman season as an All-American with his time also serving as the fourth fastest in program history. He beat his previous best 10K best by 40 seconds to etch his name onto OSU’s leaderboard.

Musau finished as the second Cowboy across the line at 29:11 as the eighth overall finisher. The Big 12 champion’s time is also among the best in OSU history in the 10K, where he lands at seventh in program history. Like Kipngetich, Musau beat his previous 10K best by nearly 40 seconds.

Messaoudi adds a cross country team title to his two individual indoor national titles. He’s a cross country All-American for the second time in his career with his 10th-place finish. His 29:13.3 finish is just three seconds off his career best finish, which he accomplished in last year’s national championships. With his finish Saturday, Messaoudi is now a fivetime All-American.

Victor Shitsama and Alex Maier rounded out the scoring for the Cowboys with their 12th- and 15th-place finishes, respectively. For Shitsama, his 29:16.1 finish is a career-best and allowed for him to become a four-time cross country All-American, with Maier collecting his third career honor on the grass. Shitsama bested his previous-best finish in the event by 14 places and was the key behind the Cowboys’ dominating victory.

The Cowgirls kicked things off earlier in the day with the 6K race and earned a spot on the podium with a third-place team finish, the best placement for the Cowgirls in school history. OSU built off the finish from last year’s fourth-place finish and saw Billah Jepkirui, Molly Born and Taylor Roe become All-Americans in the process. The 156 points scored by the Cowgirls is a school record by almost 50 points and it’s OSU’s third top-five finish at the national meet in school history, and the second time when led by Smith.

Jepkirui highlighted the day on the women’s side by earning a seventh-place finish with a school-record 19:27.5 finish. It’s Jepkirui’s first All-American nod in cross country and the third time in her brief career in the orange and black. Her finish set a program record with the fastest time at a National Championship, breaking teammate Taylor Roe’s record of 19:33.5 at the 2021 race in Tallahassee, Fla.

Following behind her, Molly Born secured her second cross country All-American status with her 21st-place finish at 19:53.8. It was her third time competing in an NCAA Championship for cross country and posted her second-best time in a 6K race.

Taylor Roe was the third Cowgirl to cross the finish line with a 20:04.7 finish. In her fourth National Championship, she finished 34th with a time of 20:04.7 and is an All-American for the fourth time on the grass.

Gabija Galvydyte finished 48th with a personal best 20:12.5 finish. Cayden Dawson rounded out the scoring with a time of 20:41.0 and a 100th-place finish.