The University of Akron Athletics
Saturday, November 22
Columbia, Mo.
10:20 AM ET
University of Akron
vs
NCAA Cross Country Championships
Akron Set for NCAA Cross Country Championships
November 21 | Cross Country
LIVE STATS | VIDEO VIDEO
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron freshman Mercy Jebitok (Kapsabet, Kenya), sophomore Bismack Kipchirchir (Eldama Ravine, Kenya) and junior Titus Kirui (Eldoret, Kenya) are set to represent the Zips at the 2025 NCAA Cross Country Championships host by Missouri this Saturday (Nov. 22) at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo., beginning at 10:20 a.m. ET.
The women's 6K opens the championship at 10:20 a.m. ET followed by the men's 10K race, which is set for 11:10 a.m. ET.
Jebitok is fifth Akron women's runner to qualify for NCAA Cross Country Championships in program history and first since Morgan Sulzener in 2004. She will join Sulzener (2004), Adriana Zalucka (2002), Michelle Rizzo (1992) and Judy Ervin (1992) as Zips to have run at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
Jebitok collected All-Region honors after crossing the line in a career-best time of 20:02.73 at the Great Lakes Regional on Friday (Nov. 14) to place sixth overall.
Kipchirchir became the first Akron runner to qualify in back-to-back campaigns, while Kirui earned his first selection and will be the fourth overall Zip to compete at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in program history. The duo joins Marc Migliozzi, who ran in the title race in 2019, as well as Timothy Chesondin, who earned All-America accolades in 2023.
Kipchirchir and Kirui each garnered All-Region accolades on the strength of traversing the 10K course at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on Friday (Nov. 14) in times of 29:54.83 and 30:02.92, respectively, to finish sixth and 11th overall. Kirui's performance stands as a career-best time and the fourth-fastest effort in program history.
A total of 225 men and 225 women from 92 men's and 93 women's institutions earned the distinction by finishing among the Top 25 runners at one of nine regional sites across the country.
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron freshman Mercy Jebitok (Kapsabet, Kenya), sophomore Bismack Kipchirchir (Eldama Ravine, Kenya) and junior Titus Kirui (Eldoret, Kenya) are set to represent the Zips at the 2025 NCAA Cross Country Championships host by Missouri this Saturday (Nov. 22) at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo., beginning at 10:20 a.m. ET.
The women's 6K opens the championship at 10:20 a.m. ET followed by the men's 10K race, which is set for 11:10 a.m. ET.
Jebitok is fifth Akron women's runner to qualify for NCAA Cross Country Championships in program history and first since Morgan Sulzener in 2004. She will join Sulzener (2004), Adriana Zalucka (2002), Michelle Rizzo (1992) and Judy Ervin (1992) as Zips to have run at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
Jebitok collected All-Region honors after crossing the line in a career-best time of 20:02.73 at the Great Lakes Regional on Friday (Nov. 14) to place sixth overall.
Kipchirchir became the first Akron runner to qualify in back-to-back campaigns, while Kirui earned his first selection and will be the fourth overall Zip to compete at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in program history. The duo joins Marc Migliozzi, who ran in the title race in 2019, as well as Timothy Chesondin, who earned All-America accolades in 2023.
Kipchirchir and Kirui each garnered All-Region accolades on the strength of traversing the 10K course at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on Friday (Nov. 14) in times of 29:54.83 and 30:02.92, respectively, to finish sixth and 11th overall. Kirui's performance stands as a career-best time and the fourth-fastest effort in program history.
A total of 225 men and 225 women from 92 men's and 93 women's institutions earned the distinction by finishing among the Top 25 runners at one of nine regional sites across the country.
Players Mentioned
2024 Akron Zips Women's Cross Country Preseason Press Conference - Athletes 8/28/24
Thursday, August 29
2024 Akron Zips Cross Country Preseason Press Conference - Coach - 8/28/24
Thursday, August 29
2024 Akron Zips Men's Cross Country Preseason Press Conference - Athletes 8/28/24
Thursday, August 29
Akron Zips Men's Cross Country Media Day with Student-Athletes - 8/31/23
Thursday, August 31
