Kipruto wins American Conference cross country championship, Jepkoech named Freshman of the Year

Wichita State’s Elkana Kipruto claimed the American Conference men’s individual title, and Mercy Jepkoech was named the American Conference Women’s Freshman of the Year at the American Conference Championships Nov. 1 at Frank Liske Park.

The Shocker men finished third, and the Shocker women took fifth of the women’s team championship. The Shockers placed five runners on the all-conference team and two on the all-freshman team.

Kipruto defeated the No. 5-ranked runner in the NCAA, Tulane’s Bernard Cheruiyot, to claim Wichita State’s first-ever American Conference men’s crown, running 23:16.6 in the 8K race.