Akron Cross Country Set for MAC Championships

Saturday, November 1

Buffalo, N.Y.

11:00 AM

University of Akron

Mid-American Conference Championships

October 31 | Cross Country

LIVE RESULTS | LIVE VIDEO | MAC CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL

AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron cross country team under the direction of first-year head coach Tim Servis will begin postseason competition on Saturday, Nov. 1, at the 2025 Mid-American Conference Championships, hosted by Buffalo at the Audubon Golf Course in Buffalo, N.Y.

The men's 8-kilometer race will begin at 11 a.m. with the women's 8K race to follow at 12 p.m.

The field in the women's championship includes squads from all 13 conference schools.

The Zips have won a pair of league titles on the women's side capturing the crown in 1999 and 2005, while placing second twice (2007 and 2008). Individually, Michelle Rizzo and Beata Rudzinska captured titles in 1999 and 2005, respectively, for the Zips.

The men's field includes nine teams in Akron, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami, Ohio, Toledo and UMass.

Akron captured its first-ever league men's cross country title in 2023 after placing second in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Marc Migliozzi captured the individual title for the Zips in 2019.

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 a season ago.

Sophomore Bismack Kipchirchir (Eldama Ravine, Kenya) is Akron's top-returning finisher for the men's team garnering First-Team All-MAC accolades after finishing second in 23:31.86 en route to being selected as the MAC Men's Cross Country Freshman of the Year.

Mary Munga collected First-Team All-MAC honors for the second consecutive year crossing the line in 20:36.55 to place sixth overall.

Moses 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 junior Titus Kirui (Eldoret, Kenya), Heriberto Alvarez and senior Taye Gonzalez (Lewis Center, Ohio) as the trio crossed the line in 25:32.14, 25:51.75 and 26:16.00, respectively.

Additionally, sophomore Emil Stanford (Sunbury, Ohio), Justin Zapotoczny and junior Quinn Hopkins (Akron, Ohio) added times of 26:4.37, 26:47.32 and 29:08.52.

Next over the finish line in the women's race was junior Megan Hipple (Warren, Ohio) in a time of 21:14.15.

Culminating Akron's scoring efforts were Grace Henderson, Danielle Honaker and junior Kayla Sucharski (Galena, Ohio) 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 Halle Sebest, sophomore Jadyn Towns (Berlin Heights, Ohio) and Hannah Kerr.

The Zips' list of runners in the men's race this Saturday will include junior Majid Abuaun (Rocky River, Ohio), Gonzalez, Hopkins, Kipchirchir, Kirui, sophomore Jared Newenhisen (Barberton, Ohio), freshman Noah Nyageo (Kitale, Kenya) and Stanford.

The Zips' list of runners in the women's race this Saturday will include Hipple, sophomore Mercy Jebitok (Kapsabet, Kenya), redshirt senior Emily Razo (Salem, Ohio), junior Kennedy Schlessman (Huron, Ohio), Sucharski and Towns.

UP NEXT
The Zips travel to Evansville, Ind., to compete at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on Nov. 14.