CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Middle Tennessee men's and women’s cross country teams swept the 2021 Conference USA Championships on Saturday at Frank Liske Park. The men celebrated its third C-USA Championship in the last five seasons while the women earned their third-straight title and fourth overall. Additionally, Blue Raider head coach Keith Vroman was recognized as the coach of the year for both the men and the women for the second time in three seasons (2019).
 
Men's Final Results (PDF)
Women's Final Results (PDF)
 
The Blue Raiders pulled off the one-point victory scoring 54 points over runner-up Charlotte with Hillary Kimaiyo leading the charge placing eighth with a 24:16.3 to pick up C-USA All-Conference Second Team honors. The bulk of MTSU’s points came in a cluster as four Blue Raiders finished 10^th through 13^th to give Middle Tennessee the team title. Brian Rono (24:32.7), Lebo Mosito (24:35.6), Jacob Choge (24:37.6) and Habtamu Geta (24:37.7) all picked up C-USA Second Team All-Conference recognition with their times.
 
Charlotte graduate senior Paul Arredondo crossed the line first by over 10 seconds besting his teammate Nik Scudder to win the individual conference title with a 23:43.5. Along with that honor he was named the C-USA Outstanding Senior of the Meet. UTEP’s Maxwell Kipkosgei finished 20^th at 24:50.6 to earn Freshman of the Meet and third team All-Conference honors.

Finishing in second place, Charlotte placed three runners in the top 10 including individual champion Arredondo and 2020 Champion Nick Scudder who placed second. North Texas placed third with 66 points while Rice was fourth and UTEP placed fifth.
 
Middle Tennessee’s women’s squad had three first team All-Conference selections to lead the Blue Raiders to their third-straight title in as many years with 39 points. The 2021 Outstanding Senior of the Meet, Eusila Chepkemei, paced Middle Tennessee as she placed third with a 21:06.1, while freshman of the meet, Naomy Limatukei finished sixth and senior Joice Jebor was seventh.
 
Individually, the women’s field was led by Rice All-American sophomore Grace Forbes who repeated as the individual champion with her time of 20:24.0. She is the first repeat champion since Rice’s Cali Roper in 2014 and 2015.
 
Charlotte collected 64 points and took second place with freshman Louise Lounes finished second overall with a time of 20:55.3. Third-place Rice, led by Forbes, amassed 78 points while Southern Miss finished fourth with 125 and UTEP rounded out the top five with 151 points.

MEN'S INDIVIDUAL HONORS
Individual Champion: Paul Arredondo, Charlotte, Senior
Outstanding Senior: Paul Arredondo, Charlotte, Senior
Freshman of the Meet: Maxwell Kipkosgei, UTEP, Freshman
Coach of the Year: Keith Vroman, Middle Tennessee
 
MEN'S ALL-CONFERENCE HONOREES
First Team
1. Paul Arredondo, Charlotte, Senior
2. Nickolas Scudder, Charlotte, Sophomore
3. Hociel Landa, Rice, Senior
4. Rodgers Korir, UTEP, Junior
5. Caleb Bouchard, North Texas, Junior
6. Braden Lange, North Texas, Sophomore
7. Hunter White, Charlotte, Freshman


Second Team
8. Hilary Kimaiyo, Middle Tennessee, Sophomore
9. Alex Topini, Rice, Senior
10. Brian Rono, Middle Tennessee, Junior
11. Lebo Mosita, Middle Tennessee, Senior
12. Jacob Choge, Middle Tennessee Senior
13. Habtamu Geta, Middle Tennessee, Sophomore
14. Victor Neiva, North Texas, Freshman


Third Team
15. Elliot Metcalf, Rice, Freshman
16. Kenneth Talavera, UTEP, Sophomore
17. Jack Beaumont, North Texas, Senior
18. Titus Cheruiyot, UTEP, Sophomore
19. Andrew Abikhaled, Rice, Junior
20. Maxwell Kipkosgei, UTEP, Freshman
21. Gabriel Armijo, UTEP, Junior
 
WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL HONORS
Individual Champion: Grace Forbes, Rice, Sophomore
Outstanding Senior: Eusila Chepkemei, Middle Tennessee, Senior
Freshman of the Meet: Naomy Limatukei, Middle Tennessee, Freshman
Coach of the Year: Keith Vroman, Middle Tennessee
 
WOMEN'S ALL-CONFERENCE HONOREES
First Team
1. Grace Forbes, Rice, Sophomore
2. Louise Lounes, Charlotte, Freshman
3. Eusila Chepkemei, Middle Tennessee, Senior
4. Lina May, Southern Miss, Sophomore
5. Ruth Jerubet, UTEP, Sophomore
6. Naomy Limatukei, Middle Tennessee, Freshman
7. Joice Jebor, Middle Tennessee, Senior

Second Team
8. Faith Rono, Middle Tennessee, Sophomore
9. Abby Herring, Marshall, Sophomore
10. Carolyne Chepkosgei, UTEP, Senior
11. Madeline Boswell, UTSA, Senior
12. Alina Rovnak, Charlotte, Junior
13. Sophia Ritter, Charlotte, Freshman
14. Savannah Heckman, Western Kentucky, Senior
 
Third Team
15. Mercy Chepkurui, Middle Tennessee, Sophomore
16. Lourdes Vivas de Loren, Rice, Senior
17. Emma Fredericks, Charlotte, Freshman
18. Caitlin Wosika, Rice, Sophomore
19. Taigen Hunter-Galvan, Rice, Sophomore
20. Karina Coulter, Charlotte, Freshman
21. Madlen Kappeler, Florida Atlantic, Sophomore