Norfolk State Cross Country Chases History in 2026

Norfolk State cross country coach Kenneth Giles enters the 2026 season with a roster he calls one of the deepest of his tenure, and he wants both his men's and women's teams to match that talent with results. The men chase a shot at the program's seventh straight MEAC Championship and the first NCAA national championship appearance by an HBCU, and the women aim to take back the MEAC title they lost to Howard in 2025.

Men's Squad Built Around a Veteran Core; Aims for National Success

The Spartans return their top two finishers from last year's MEAC Championships. Senior Lewis Too claimed the individual conference title after Ian Kimutai, the team's fastest runner for most of the season, suffered an injury during the race and could not finish. Kimutai returns healthy and ready to reclaim his spot at the front of the pack.

“We returned our top two runners from last year,” Giles said. “On paper, it looks good. A lot of times what's on paper isn't what actually happens, but I'm really pleased with the roster we have intact.”

Sophomore Daniel Mathenge adds another proven scorer. Mathenge earned MVP honors at the conference indoor meet and followed with a strong outdoor season, and Giles expects him to push for the team's top spot alongside Too and Kimutai. Freshman Clinton Kipruto joins that group as well, giving Norfolk State three runners who can compete for the No. 1 position on any given day.

The Spartans also bring in Mohammed Mrahi, a transfer from New Mexico Junior College who posted the fastest 8K time on the roster last season. Basil Koech also returns for the Spartans this season along with Jemmel Green adding depth to the already stacked roster. 

“That gives us the depth we need on the back end,” Giles said. “I think we have a chance to do something special. On the men's side, our chances are just as good as anybody else in the region to go to the national championships. If that happens, we'll be the first HBCU ever to do it, and that's the goal.”

Giles said accountability drives that push, along with a refusal to overlook any opponent. The Spartans open the year at the Spider Alumni Open in Richmond before traveling to the Virginia Invitational, where they will face host Virginia, a team Giles ranks among the region's top two programs every season. The men also enter the year on a run of six straight MEAC titles; a seventh this fall would give the program the longest championship streak in MEAC history. 

Women's Squad Look to Reload and Reclaim MEAC Title 

Norfolk State's women finished second at last year's MEAC Championships, snapping a streak of back-to-back conference titles in 2023 and 2024. Giles said a lack of depth behind four runners who each finished in the top 15 held the team back, even as fifth runner Moamiky Kenneh ran a personal best.

This year's roster addresses that gap. Veronica Jesang, a transfer from Iowa Central Community College, joins returners Abigael Chebet and Sonia Koech to give Norfolk State three runners capable of leading the pack. Giles projects Jesang as the team's new No. 1 runner and said she fills a void left when Mercyline Kimayio, the program's former top runner, graduated two years ago.

“She'll bring experience up top,” Giles said of Jesang. “She's going to be that runner that everybody's chasing.”

Junior Amira Dailey returns to add scoring depth, and sophomore Taiefa Gowe finally gets a full season after an NCAA eligibility waiver delayed her debut last year. 

"She did an excellent job for us in the classroom, and she got her waiver approved,” Giles said. “She's ready now.” 

Kenneh also returns with a full season of experience, and Giles said the program is adding two more runners through the university's winter mini-term to further build out the lineup.

Giles said his returning runners already know what championship success feels like, and he expects that experience to set the tone for the newcomers. 

“They want to be back-to-back champions like they were in 2023 and 2024,” he said. “They know what it takes to win that title, and nothing less will be accepted.”

The women open the season alongside the men at the Spider Alumni Open on Sept. 5, then travel to the Virginia Invitational on Sept. 11. Giles pointed to the Paul Short Invitational in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 2 as the meet that will show whether Norfolk State is ready to reclaim the MEAC title from Howard. 

“We're going to train hard, we're going to train smart, and we're going to train well, and we'll be ready,” Giles said.