FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – New Mexico’s Habtom Samuel won his third NCAA Individual title – and his first indoors – with a dominant finish in the Men’s 5,000m Finals on Day One of NCAA Indoor Championships Friday at Randal Tyson Track Center, becoming the first Lobo to win NCAA titles in Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor.
Samuel became the first man from New Mexico to win at NCAA Indoors since Josh Kerr won the Mile in 2018 – he’s the first UNM athlete, man or woman, to win the 5K indoors and remains unbeaten against collegiate competition across the 2025-26 cross country and indoor seasons.
HABTOM REMAINS ON TOP.
— New Mexico XC/T&F (@UNMLoboXCTF) March 14, 2026
The most decorated athlete in program history. The three-time champion. pic.twitter.com/cyTyzl0gFB
In other races, Pamela Kosgei secured the sixth First Team All-American trophy of her career with a third-place finish in the Women’s 5K Final, Matthew Endrödy advanced to the Men’s Mile finals with an automatic qualifier in Prelims and Evans Kiplagat secured Second Team All-America honors.
With Kosgei's six points in the women's score and Samuel's 10 points for the men, the Lobos are tied for sixth in the national men's team score and tied for 10th on the women's side.
The Lobos return tomorrow for more finals action, with Pamela Kosgei and Marion Jepngetich in the Women’s 3K Final, Habtom Samuel in the Men’s 3K Final and Matthew Endrödy in the Men’s Mile Final. All of this weekend’s action in Arkansas will be available on television via ESPNU and stream via ESPN+, with live results available via GoLobos.com/TrackResults.
MEN’S MILE SEMIFINAL
10. Matthew Endrödy - 3:57.48 (Q)
Taking the lead early on and running the final 200 meters in 28.16 to emerge from a congested front of the pack as the fourth automatic qualifier in the second heat,Endrödy became the first Lobo to advance to the NCAA Indoor Mile Final since Josh Kerr won the national title in 2018. His 3:57.48 performance was 9.12 seconds faster than his 4:06.60 title-winning time at Mountain West Indoor Championships two weeks ago – it’s his third sub-four minute mile performance this indoor season.
He’ll return tomorrow with an opportunity to earn First Team All-America honors for the first time in his career, with the Men’s Mile Final set for 3:20 p.m. MT.
WOMEN’S 5,000M FINAL
3. Pamela Kosgei - 15:07.76*
*USTFCCCA First Team All-American
Kosgei finished as a First Team All-American for the sixth time in her career, finishing third in the 5K Final for the second year in a row with a 15:07.76 time.
She gradually moved into third position behind BYU’s Jane Hedengren and Alabama’s Doris Lemngole, overtaking Lemngole briefly but succumbing to a late kick from both. After entering with the sixth-fastest time in the nation, Kosgei improved on that with a Top-Three finish.
MEN’S 5,000M FINAL
1. Habtom Samuel - 13:36.58*
16. Evans Kiplagat - 14:06.33^
* NCAA CHAMPION; USTFCCCA First Team All-American
^ USTFCCCA Second Team All-American
After two seasons of close calls, Habtom Samuel is finally an NCAA Indoor Champion, becoming the first Lobo athlete – man or woman – to win NCAA individual titles at National Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Championships.
After leading briefly earlier on in the race, Samuel took the lead again around 3,000 meters in and dropped the hammer over the final seven laps, closing the final 200 meters in 26.64 to shake the field and secure his first NCAA Indoor title after finishing second in the event in 2025.
Post-Race with THE KING 👑 pic.twitter.com/uO0t5Ihl0Q
— New Mexico XC/T&F (@UNMLoboXCTF) March 14, 2026
Teammate Evans Kiplagat earned the second USTFCCCA Second Team All-American track honors of his career with a 16th-place finish in 14:06.33.