ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico Men’s and Women’s Cross Country swept the NCAA Mountain Region team titles for the second consecutive season Friday at UNM North Golf Course, with a program-record score from the top-ranked Lobo men and a 1-2-3 finish led by Pamela Kosgei on the women’s side securing automatic NCAA Championships berths for both squads.
It’s the first time in program history the Lobos have swept the regional team titles in consecutive seasons and the first time they have won both championships on their home course.
Collins Kiprotich finished second to lead four Lobos among the Top Six as the men scored 35 points, bettering their previous regional record of 37 set last season. UNM edged second-ranked Colorado (42) and finished ahead of sixth-ranked BYU (65) to claim its third regional championship overall and first back-to-back titles.
Kosgei crossed in 19:08.3, followed by Mercy Kirarei and Marion Jepngetich, as the seventh-ranked Lobo women matched last season’s winning total of 45 points. UNM finished 22 points ahead of sixth-ranked Northern Arizona (67), with top-ranked BYU third (81), to claim its eighth regional team championship and fourth in the last six editions of the meet.
The women’s 45-point effort tied the second-lowest regional score in program history, behind only their 41-point championship performance in 2018. It also marked the first time UNM’s women have swept the first three individual places at the regional meet.
Both teams earned automatic qualification for the NCAA Championships, sending the Lobos’ men and women to nationals together for the third consecutive season. The men secured their fourth straight NCAA team berth under Darren Gauson, while the women earned their third consecutive appearance.
A total of 10 Lobos — five men and five women — earned All-Region honors with Top-25 finishes, with every scorer on both teams receiving recognition for the second consecutive season. Kiprotich, Pasanjo Kitonga, Vincent Chirchir, Evans Kiplagat and Lukas Kiprop earned the men’s honors, while Kosgei, Kirarei, Jepngetich, Christina Nisoli and Faith Ngetich represented the women.
Kiplagat completed his regional career with a fourth consecutive All-Region finish. Kiprotich and Chirchir each earned their third straight honor, while Kiprop added his second and Kitonga earned recognition in his regional debut.
TEAM RESULTS
| Men’s Team | Scoring | Total Points | Women’s Team | Scoring | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 New Mexico | 1-2-4-5-23-(30)-(84) | 35 | #7 New Mexico | 1-2-3-15-24-(28)-(42) | 45 |
| Colorado | 3-8-9-10-12-(13)-(19) | 42 | Northern Arizona | 9-10-11-16-21-(44)-(45) | 67 |
| BYU | 6-7-11-17-24-(26)-(52) | 65 | BYU | 4-12-17-19-29-(49)-(52) | 81 |
| Northern Arizona | 15-16-18-25-27-(29)-(82) | 101 | Utah | 8-13-20-23-36-(43)-(69) | 100 |
| Air Force | 20-28-36-38-39-(70)-(71) | 161 | Colorado | 5-7-26-27-38-(39)-(56) | 103 |
| Utah State | 32-35-41-47-48-(93)-(97) | 203 | Wyoming | 14-30-37-47-55-(60)-(76) | 183 |
| Montana State | 33-34-43-44-49-(63)-(76) | 203 | Utah State | 18-25-48-59-64-(79)-(90) | 214 |
| Wyoming | 22-31-59-61-72-(91)-(103) | 245 | Utah Valley | 6-33-57-65-67-(68)-(78) | 228 |
| Utah Valley | 21-54-56-69-73-(89)-(94) | 273 | Montana State | 40-41-50-51-66-(71)-(99) | 248 |
| Colorado State | 51-53-57-58-68-(78)-(81) | 287 | Air Force | 22-31-54-73-81-(88)-(93) | 261 |
| Weber State | 46-50-55-66-85-(102) | 302 | Colorado State | 32-61-70-83-85-(86)-(104) | 331 |
| Southern Utah | 37-64-67-74-77-(87)-(88) | 319 | Weber State | 34-62-74-80-95-(102)-(103) | 345 |
| New Mexico State | 14-65-80-86-105-(106) | 350 | New Mexico State | 35-72-77-89-91-(92)-(109) | 364 |
| Nevada | 45-75-79-83-95-(104) | 377 | Texas Tech | 46-58-82-84-106-(110) | 376 |
| UTEP | 40-62-92-96-98-(101) | 388 | Southern Utah | 53-63-75-87-100-(105)-(108) | 378 |
| Montana | 42-60-90-99-100 | 391 | Nevada | 94-96-97-98-101-(107) | 486 |
UNM INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
| Men’s Individual | Place | Time | Women’s Individual | Place | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collins Kiprotich | 2 | 28:50.2 | Pamela Kosgei | 1 | 19:08.3 |
| Pasanjo Kitonga | 3 | 28:51.9 | Mercy Kirarei | 2 | 19:11.6 |
| Vincent Chirchir | 5 | 29:02.8 | Marion Jepngetich | 3 | 19:24.0 |
| Evans Kiplagat | 6 | 29:04.9 | Christina Nisoli | 15 | 20:30.8 |
| Lukas Kiprop | 24 | 29:55.2 | Faith Ngetich | 24 | 20:50.8 |
| Matthew Giardina | 31 | 30:19.5 | Li-Mari Dekker | 28 | 21:03.1 |
| Lukas Ehrle | 85 | 32:15.1 | Mia Torrecillas | 42 | 21:32.4 |
MEN’S 10K RECAP
Kiprotich led the Lobos in 28:50.2, finishing second behind Texas Tech’s Titus Kimaru (28:41.9) and just 1.7 seconds ahead of Kitonga (28:51.9). Kitonga held off Colorado’s Dominic Serem (28:52.6) by seven-tenths of a second to give UNM two of the first three finishers.
Chirchir followed in fifth in 29:02.8, with Kiplagat sixth in 29:04.9, placing the Lobos’ first four runners within 14.7 seconds of one another. UNM had four finishers across the line before any other team had its second, providing the foundation for its seven-point victory over Colorado.
Kiprop completed the scoring in 24th in 29:55.2, securing All-Region recognition for the first time since his third-place finish in 2023. With Kimaru excluded from team scoring, the Lobos’ five scorers accounted for places 1-2-4-5-23 and a program-best 35 points.
Matthew Giardina finished 31st in 30:19.5 in his first collegiate cross country 10K, while Lukas Ehrle rounded out UNM’s seven-man contingent in 85th in 32:15.1.
The victory kept the Lobo men unbeaten through four scored meets this season, adding a regional championship to their titles at the Cowboy Jamboree, Nuttycombe Invitational and Mountain West Championships. UNM has now won regional titles in 2010, 2025 and 2026, with Friday marking its first on its home course.
WOMEN’S 6K RECAP
Kosgei, Kirarei and Jepngetich swept the podium, with all three Lobos finishing before any opposing runner broke 19:46. Kosgei claimed the championship in 19:08.3, crossing 3.3 seconds ahead of Kirarei’s runner-up finish in 19:11.6.
Making her season debut, Jepngetich finished third in 19:24.0 to complete the sweep, crossing 22.7 seconds ahead of BYU’s Taylor Lovell in fourth. The reigning NCAA outdoor 5,000m champion improved on her 10th-place regional finish from last season, while Kirarei improved on her seventh-place showing in 2024.
Nisoli finished 15th in 20:30.8, and Ngetich crossed 24th in 20:50.8 to complete the Lobos’ 45-point score. Both earned their first All-Region honors, joining UNM’s front three to give the women five Top-25 finishers.
Li-Mari Dekker followed in 28th in 21:03.1, finishing just ahead of BYU’s fifth scorer, Tessa Buswell (29th, 21:03.2). Mia Torrecillas completed the Lobo lineup in 42nd in 21:32.4.
The championship was UNM’s second regional women’s title on its home course, joining its 2022 victory. The Lobos have now won consecutive regional championships three times, following back-to-back titles in 2010-11 and 2021-22.