Kipkurgat Wins Individual Title, Sergon Earns Runner-Up Spot at CUSA Championship

Saturday, October 31

Huntsville, Ala.

6k | 9 AM

Jax State

Conference USA Championship

Live Results Results (PDF)

10/31/2026 1:51:00 PM | Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

Results Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Jax State cross country program put together one of the best performances in school history at the Conference USA Championship on Saturday morning at John Hunt Park, featuring top all-time finishes across both teams.

The league championship performance was highlighted, once again, by freshman stardom in Shadrack Kipkurgat and Mercy Sergon. Kipkurgat won the men's individual championship with a 23:31.6 8k, leading to a runner-up team finish in Huntsville. Sergon placed second overall in the women's 6k, running a time of 19:29.4 to set a new school record. Both performances are Jax State's highest individual CUSA Championship finishes.

"Really proud of how we competed today," head coach Jeremy Provence said. "Both teams executed the race plan very well and it's exciting to be bringing several awards back to Jacksonville."

"Shadrack works incredibly hard and loves to push the limits when racing," Provence said. "The results today are well-earned and I'm really proud of his performance. Miguel was a huge factor in the team results as well. He has been figuring out how to race the 8k distance and there has been some frustration during the process. Today was by far the best he has raced this season, and it could not have come at a better time."

Jax State earned six all-conference selections in the meet, with four coming from the men's squad and two from the women's unit. Kipkurgat and Linus Chepkochei headlined the men's All-CUSA First Team, with Mark Roper earning a Second Team nod and Miguel Del Rosario on Third Team. On the women's side, Sergon earned a First Team recognition and Viola Jepleting with a Second Team nod. Piling onto the accolades from Saturday, Kipkurgat and Sergon were named Freshman of the Meet for their respective meets.

"Incredibly proud of Mercy on silver and earning Freshman of the Meet," Provence said. "Viola also put herself in a great spot and finished with a well-earned Second Team All-Conference honor."

The Gamecock men's second-place team finish was its highest result at the CUSA Championship, beating its previous best of third place, set last year and the year prior. The women's team tied its highest placement in the conference at sixth overall.

"I had full confidence that the men's squad would be able to close in the final 2-3 kilometers as long as we positioned ourselves well early in the race," Provence said. "We have a tough bunch of guys who understood what they needed to do in order to finish in one of the top 2 spots as a team."

The men's squad boasted three runners in the top ten in Kipkurgat, Chepkochei (7^th, 23:56.4) and Roper (8^th, 23:58.7), while the women's team had a pairing in the top 10 in Sergon and Jepleting (10^th, 20:48.2).

Of the 10 runners that participated in the women's race, eight of them set new season-bests, carrying positive momentum into the regional championship in two weeks. Rounding out the top 50 finishers for the women's unit were Faith Kurgoi (30^th, 21:22.8), Charity Mabuza (38^th, 21:30.1) and Naum Kibiwott (45^th, 21:40.9).

"We were where we wanted to be at the second split, but unfortunately we lost some position in the final stretch in a close race," Provence said. "It doesn't take much to get caught on the wrong side of the standings. The finishing place stings a little, but this shouldn't take away from the season we have had including the meet today."

The men's squad placed eight of its ten runners in the top 50, including Pai Wynyard (23^rd, 25:05.2), Augusto Caceres (27^th, 25:11.7), Beltran Flores (36^th, 25:34.4) and Stephen Billman (25:36.8).

The postseason only continues for the Gamecocks as the team will be back in action for the NCAA South Regional Championship on Nov. 13 in Tallahassee, Fla. at Apalachee Regional Park.