by Connor Gilbert

Samuel, Kosgei Sweep MW Athlete of the Year Honors

Samuel, Kosgei Sweep MW Athlete of the Year HonorsSamuel, Kosgei Sweep MW Athlete of the Year Honors

LAS VEGAS, Nev. --- The Mountain West has announced the 2025-26 Athletes of the Year, with Habtom Samuel and Pamela Kosgei sweeping the honors after dominant years across cross country, indoor and outdoor track that saw Samuel win four national titles and Kosgei finish as national runner-up three times.

It marks the first time in league history that the male and female athletes of the year were both from the same school, and the second consecutive year that Kosgei was the Female Athlete of the Year. She is just the third student-athlete to ever earn the award in back-to-back years, joining Boise State’s Allie Ostrander (2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19) and Emma Bates (2013-14 and 2014-15).

Overall, Samuel and Kosgei are the eighth and ninth Mountain West Athletes of the Year for New Mexico, tied for the most by any one school in the league.

For Samuel, his 2025-26 year was one for the books. Going undefeated against collegiate opponents all year, Samuel won a national championship in each of the three seasons for the Lobos, capturing the cross country title, the indoor 5,000-meter title, and the outdoor 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter titles. No Lobo had ever won four national titles in a season, and his titles gave him five overall, tying former Lobo gymnast Chad Fox with his five national championships.

Samuel was named both the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Year and the National Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He was on the Bowerman Preseason Watch List for Indoor Track & Field, and is heavily favored to be a Finalist for The Bowerman for 2026. He also owns the fastest 5K time in the world this year, set at the L.A. Track Fest, which also set an NCAA Record. He also set a 2-mile collegiate record at the Millrose Games.

Kosgei is UNM’s first back-to-back winner of the Mountain West Athlete of the Year award. Kosgei was a five-time First Team All-American this season, earning it for cross country, the indoor 3,000-meter, the indoor 5,000-meter, the outdoor 5,000-meter, and the outdoor 10,000-meter. She was named the Mountain West Cross Country Athlete of the Year and the Indoor Track Athlete of the Year, leading the Lobos to a sweep of all three conference titles for cross country, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field.