Kipkurui, Samuel Finish 1-2 in 10K Final on Day 1 NCAA Outdoor Championships

EUGENE, Ore. – Ishmael Kipkurui won his first collegiate title and Habtom Samuel finished as NCAA runner-up in the 10,000m Final thanks to a blistering kick that left the rest of the field in the dust as New Mexico went 1-2 in the same event at NCAA Outdoor Championships for the first time in program history Wednesday at Hayward Field.

It’s the first time UNM has taken home back-to-back individual titles in the same event at NCAA Championships since 2018 – and the first time ever at outdoor championships. Their 18 combined points from the 10K alone have now vaulted UNM into a tie for second in the men’s team standings with Day One’s events in the books, keeping the Lobo men in contention for a team title after also advancing Mathew Kosgei (#2 in NCAA) to Friday’s Men’s Steeplechase Final.

“First of all, I want to thank God for today,” Kipkurui said. “The race was not easy because everyone was crazy, but I thank God for the win.”

Already the NCAA 10,000m record holder, Kipkurui is now a national champion in his first year in a Lobo uniform, running the final 800 meters in 1:57 over a final surge that gave him a lead he wouldn’t relinquish down the stretch. He and Samuel will also return on Friday to run the Men’s 5,000m Final in search of more hardware and another leap in the team score.

After going 1-2 in a fast-paced 10K Semifinal at West Regionals, Kipkurui and Samuel found themselves in a slower strategic race Wednesday in Eugene, with both running nearly a minute behind their times in College Station two weeks ago. After waiting to make a push until the final five laps, the duo posted the two fastest 400m splits of the night over the final lap to take control and put some distance between themselves and the field, with Kipkurui closing in 53.38 seconds to win in 29:07.70 and Samuel just behind with a 54.08 bell lap to cross in 29:08.73. The next-fastest split over that final lap was a 55.57 from Iowa State’s Rodgers Kiplimo.

They are only the third teammates to go 1-2 in the Men’s 10,000m final in the last decade.

𝗪𝗘 𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗗 𝗟𝗢𝗕𝗢 𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦.

Ishmael joins the pantheon of Lobo champions and Habtom makes it a 1-2 finish in the Men’s 10,000m final with a blistering kick.

Un. Real.#GoLobos pic.twitter.com/l1lLmgyH8P

— New Mexico XC/T&F (@UNMLoboXCTF) June 12, 2025

Samuel – last year’s outdoor NCAA 10,000m champion – picked up the eighth First Team All-American trophy to match Alice Wright for the most All-American trophies, man or woman, in program history. He has now finished as national runner-up four times in two collegiate seasons as a Lobo (XC 2023 & 2024, Indoor 5K 2025, Outdoor 10K 2025). It’s the second First Team All-America finish for Kipkurui, who finished seventh in the 5,000m at 2025 NCAA Indoor Championships earlier this season.

MEN’S 3,000M STEEPLECHASE SEMIFINAL
9. Mathew Kosgei – 8:31.14
– QUALIFIED for Friday’s Final

Kosgei breezed to a comfortable second-place finish in his heat to secure one of five automatic qualifying spots in the final – he ranks second in the nation in the event and will compete for a national championship in Friday’s final. He posted the ninth-fastest time of the day.

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝗻: Mathew Kosgei breezes through Heat 1 to move on to Friday’s @NCAATrackField Final!

He finishes 2nd in H1 with a 8:31.14 clocking. pic.twitter.com/CWMv0JFThY

— New Mexico XC/T&F (@UNMLoboXCTF) June 12, 2025

MEN’S 10,000M FINAL
1. Ishmael Kipkurui – 29:07.70
– NCAA CHAMPION
2. Habtom Samuel – 29:08.73
– NCAA RUNNER-UP