NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State men's and women's cross country teams will both be in search of three-peats this weekend as they defend their conference titles at the 2022 MEAC Championships in Smyrna, Delaware at the Delaware State Outreach & Research Center
The championships will begin with the men's 8K race at 11 a.m., with the women's 5K race following at 12 p.m.
Norfolk State is the two-time defending MEAC champion for both the men and the women, having swept the titles in both 2019 and 2021 (there was no championship held in 2020 due to effects from the COVID-19 pandemic). The NSU men have won a MEAC-record 14 championships all-time.
On the men's side, the Spartans boast four of the five fastest 8K times in the conference so far this year. Sophomore
Gidion Sigei has run two sub-24-minute times this year – the fastest by a Spartan since 2005 – with his best time being a 23:50.2 at the Panorama Farms Invitational two weekends ago.
Regan Kimtai (24:55.9) and defending MEAC men's champion
Evans Cheruiyot (25:15.3) are second and third-fastest in the conference this year thanks to their times at the Paul Short Run last month.
Isa Suleiman (25:58) has also broken 26 minutes in his performance at Panorama Farms. He ranks fifth in the MEAC.
NSU also boasts the MEAC's fastest female so far this year in sophomore
Mercyline Kimaiyo. The two-time MEAC Runner of the Week ran a 5K time of 18:05.2 at the Panorama Farms Invitational two weekends ago, more than 40 seconds faster than anyone in the MEAC this year. She also has the MEAC's top 6K time, as well.
Spartans
Kara Grant (season-best 19:06.9) and
Tynniesia Wilson (19:19.1) are ranked Nos. 3 and 5, respectively, in the MEAC for 5K this season.
On Wednesday, the MEAC announced its MEAC Cross Country All-Academic Teams, and NSU had five athletes represented: Cheruiyot, Grant, Suleiman, Wilson and
Faith Jemutai. MEAC sophomore, junior and senior student-athletes with a 3.0 or better cumulative grade point average, as well as transfer student-athletes who have been in residence at the institution for at least one year, are eligible for all-academic accolades.
