Dec. 1, 2008

Courtesy of USTFCCCA

NEW ORLEANS – Oregon’s Galen Rupp and Texas Tech’s Sally Kipyego each added to their trophy collection on Monday as the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced the Division I Men’s and Women’s Cross Country National Athlete of the Year honors.

Tech’s Kipyego, the Division I Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year, ran into the NCAA history books as the senior from Marakwet, Kenya became the first woman to win three NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.  She covered the six-kilometer course in 19 minutes, 29 seconds.  Kipyego capped off an amazing career for the Red Raiders with her eighth overall NCAA title.  Kipyego was earlier named the Division I Women’s Mountain Region Athlete of the Year after winning her third consecutive Mountain Region title in November. 

Oregon’s Rupp, the Men’s Division I Cross Country Athlete of the Year, led the way for the Ducks as they won their second straight NCAA Men’s Division I team title.  Rupp avenged his runner-up finish from 2007 by taking home the 2008 title in impressive fashion, winning his first individual cross country title.  The senior from Portland, Ore. became just the third Duck to win the NCAA cross country title.  Rupp was also named the Division I Men’s West Region Athlete of the Year.