Cross Country Sweeps Weekly Conference Awards
9/22/2026 1:00:00 PM | Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
DALLAS – Following multiple remarkable showings at the Southern Showcase this past weekend, Jax State Cross Country swept all four Conference USA weekly awards, the league office announced Tuesday afternoon.
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The Gamecocks earned a pair of CUSA Athlete of the Week honors on the both the men's and women's squads by a duo of sophomores, along with a CUSA Freshman of the Week tandem as well.
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Linus Chepkochei earned his first weekly award as a member of Jax State, taking home the CUSA Men's Athlete of the Week award for his 14th place finish at the meet out of 304 runners, with an 8k time of 24:13.0. His mark is the sixth-fastest 8k in program history.Â
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Finishing just ahead of Chepkochei was his freshman teammate Shadrack Kipkurgat who earned the CUSA Men's Freshman of the Week honor for his school record-breaking performance at Southern Showcase. Kipkurgat ran a 23:32.0 time to break the program record by 30 seconds, which was set in 2005. Kipkurgat's honor is his second Freshman of the Week award this season.
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On the women's side, Viola Jepleting earned her first weekly honor of the season, claiming the CUSA Women's Athlete of the Week after a 24th place finish out of 309 competitors. Jepleting's 17:21.9 time is the fourth-fastest 5k time in school history.Â
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Earning herself another CUSA Freshman of the Week award was Mercy Sergon, who placed 17th overall with a time of 17:12.2. Sergon's result is the second-fastest mark in program history, just four seconds shy of the school record that she set at Foothills Invitational.Â
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The Gamecocks will be back in action soon with a trip to Douglasville, Ga. for the Georgia Tech Invitational on Oct. 2
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The Gamecocks earned a pair of CUSA Athlete of the Week honors on the both the men's and women's squads by a duo of sophomores, along with a CUSA Freshman of the Week tandem as well.
Â
Linus Chepkochei earned his first weekly award as a member of Jax State, taking home the CUSA Men's Athlete of the Week award for his 14th place finish at the meet out of 304 runners, with an 8k time of 24:13.0. His mark is the sixth-fastest 8k in program history.Â
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Finishing just ahead of Chepkochei was his freshman teammate Shadrack Kipkurgat who earned the CUSA Men's Freshman of the Week honor for his school record-breaking performance at Southern Showcase. Kipkurgat ran a 23:32.0 time to break the program record by 30 seconds, which was set in 2005. Kipkurgat's honor is his second Freshman of the Week award this season.
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On the women's side, Viola Jepleting earned her first weekly honor of the season, claiming the CUSA Women's Athlete of the Week after a 24th place finish out of 309 competitors. Jepleting's 17:21.9 time is the fourth-fastest 5k time in school history.Â
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Earning herself another CUSA Freshman of the Week award was Mercy Sergon, who placed 17th overall with a time of 17:12.2. Sergon's result is the second-fastest mark in program history, just four seconds shy of the school record that she set at Foothills Invitational.Â
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The Gamecocks will be back in action soon with a trip to Douglasville, Ga. for the Georgia Tech Invitational on Oct. 2
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Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
Tuesday, September 22
Sunday, September 20
Tuesday, September 15
Tuesday, September 08
