NSU Cross Country Programs Aim for Historic Success in 2023

The Norfolk State men’s and women’s cross country teams get their 2023 campaigns underway this Friday at the Paul Short Invitational, maintaining high expectations heading into the fall.

It’s only logical. The NSU men’s team earned their 15th MEAC Championship last year, and third consecutive. The women’s team nearly pulled of the three-peat as well, finishing runner-up in the team standings, but saw multiple individual breakthroughs.

Norfolk State’s coaching staff have their eyes set on more than another addition to their overflowing trophy case, though. The Spartans hope to achieve historic success this fall, taking a leap to unprecedented levels for the program on a national scale.

“We’ve got a lot of energy going into the season,” Track & Field Program Director Kenneth Giles said. “[Associate head coach] Earnest Barrett did a great job recruiting all summer to build a championship roster on the ladies side.”

Both teams return individual MEAC champions, coming off some of the most dominant seasons the school has ever seen. 

Gidion Sigei became the seventh Spartan male to win the conference title in 2022, completing the 8k course in 24 minutes, 38.8 seconds. He won the race by nearly a full minute, waiting at the finish line to cheer on his teammates.

“He raised the bar a little bit,” Giles said. “The better he is, the better the rest of his teammates are gonna be.”

Mercyline Kimaiyo became the fourth Spartan female to take the individual championship not long after, finishing the 5k course in 18 minutes, 2.3 seconds. Her and Sigei fared well at the NCAA Cross Country Southeast Regional shortly after, logging 71st and 40th place finishes, respectively, in races of over 200 student-athletes.

Both runners continued their spectacular years during the indoor and outdoor track slates, breaking several school records. The speedsters not only developed as athletes this offseason, but also become better leaders.

“Mercyline has definitely stepped up and shown that leadership role in a major way,” Giles said. “A major way.”

They are far from the only Spartans rising to the occasion this offseason. Brian Rotich, who finished sixth at last year’s MEAC Championships before putting together a strong track campaign, has helped his new teammates acclimate themselves to the program.

“Brian is outspoken,” Barrett said. “When I tell him to get the guys together, he jumps on that immediately.”

Although he didn’t enroll at Norfolk State until after the Spartans’ cross country title last year, Victor Jumo helped lead the Spartans to indoor and outdoor track titles with his consistency in long distance events. With the return of All-MEAC star Kara Grant, as well as Dorcas Kosgei and Emani Thompson, the women’s team sports plenty of valuable experience.

Giles and Barrett recruited tirelessly this offseason, finding student-athletes from across the globe for both squads. The product: two of the most talented rosters the program has ever seen.

“This is by far the best women’s cross country roster since I’ve been at Norfolk State for MEAC competition,” Giles said. “The men are set for regional competition, and we’re gonna get the ladies to that level also. But this is a loaded roster for our ladies’ team.”

The Spartans bring in multiple strong transfers, ready to make an immediate impact. Jahmei Wyatt concluded her sophomore season at Coppin State with an impressive showing at the MEAC Cross Country Championships. Junior college standouts Evans Pololet, Beatrice Keditukei, Ludjenie Mondesir and Raphael Kitur chose NSU over an assortment of high-profile offers.

Norfolk State’s pitch? The opportunity to learn from two proven coaches with decades of experience.

“We tell them, we’ve had kids who have raced just as fast as they have, and we can get them to that next level,” Giles said. “The results speak for themselves.”

Jelani Johnson, the lone American and freshman on the men’s squad, qualified for the New York State Championships in several middle distance events. He will have lots of proven teammates to learn from this year.

“He brings added depth,” Giles said. “An American kid coming out of high school, he’ll run with some outstanding middle distance and distance runners and be part of a championship-level team.”

Although both teams are nearly all compromised of foreign student-athletes, the team has had no trouble finding common ground amongst teammates. Leanne Lewis, the only freshman on the women’s side, shares a Jamaican background with Grant. Four runners on the women’s team and four on the men’s team came to the United States from Kenya.

In a sport where individual performances get so much attention, the importance of team chemistry can be completely underestimated. Giles emphasized the impact of the tight relationships amongst teammates of the Spartans’ program.

“Cross country is the ultimate team sport because No. 1 is no better than No. 5, you need No. 5 in order to win,” he said. “If No. 5 falters and doesn’t have a good meet that day, than No. 6 can step up and displace No. 5. It’s the ultimate team sport.”

After inclement weather pushed NSU’s fall debut a week back, the team cannot hide its excitement for this week’s Paul Short Invitational. Sigei won the event last year with the fastest Spartan time in 17 years.

“It would be a major, major message sent by us to win Paul Short,” Barrett said. “Everybody respects Paul Short. Schools come from all over the country to compete in that meet.”

On Oct. 6, NSU will head to Cary, N.C. for the Cedric Walker HBCU XC Challenge. The Pirate Invitational will come next, taking place at East Carolina University. The MEAC Championships are set for Oct. 28 in Smyrna, Del, a stage the Spartans have grown quite comfortable on during Giles’ tenure.

The fun should just be starting there, though. The NSU coaching staff has high hopes for the NCAA regional meet, expecting multiple Spartans to contend for a spot at nationals in Earlysville, Va.

“You’re going to see some special things this year,” Giles adds with a grin.