Samuel, Kiplagat Representing UNM at NCAA Indoor Championships

BOSTON, Mass. – Habtom Samuel and Evans Kiplagat are set to represent New Mexico Track & Field at NCAA Indoor National Championships this weekend, with both racing in Friday’s Men’s 5,000m and Samuel returning Saturday to compete in the Men’s 3,000m final.

In Head Coach Darren Gauson’s first Indoor Championships at the helm in Albuquerque, it’s the third consecutive year that UNM has sent multiple athletes to NCAA Indoor Championships, where the Top 16 times per event in the nation qualify. Samuel enters the weekend ranked No. 5 in the nation in the 5,000m and No. 11 in the 3,000m, with Kiplagat ranked No. 15 in the 5,000m.

This will be the fourth trip to Boston this indoor season for both runners, but their first time competing at The TRACK at New Balance. Opened last year, the state-of-the-art facility touts a 200-meter hydraulically banked track, a 24,000 square-foot warmup area with a capacity for 5,000 attendees.

2024 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships – Lobo Schedule
Friday, March 8
3:20 p.m. MT – Men’s 5,000 Meters (Habtom Samuel, Evans Kiplagat)
Saturday, March 9
3 p.m. MT – Men’s 3,000 Meters (Habtom Samuel)

The true freshman duo have already earned All-American status in cross country after finishing second and 33rd at NCAA Championships in November – they were also named MW Athlete of the Year and Freshman of the Year following a 1-2 finish at the conference championship race. They followed that up with 1-2 finishes in both the 5,000m and 3,000m at Mountain West Indoor Championships Feb. 22-24, with both finishing under the previous 5,000m MW Championship record in the process.

UP NEXT / FOLLOW THE ACTION
This weekend’s action will be live streamed via ESPN, with live results available via GoLobos.com/TrackResults – follow @UNMLoboTFXC on Instagram and @UNMLoboXCTF on X for live coverage, meet day content and more.