Alabama Cross Country Takes Home Four SEC Annual Awards

Eliud Kipsang, Victor Kiprop and Mercy Chelangat were all winners of annual conference honors.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Alabama cross country runners Eliud Kipsang, Victor Kiprop and Mercy Chelangat were all named winners as the Southeastern Conference announced its 2021 SEC Cross Country Awards on Monday afternoon.

Kipsang was named Men's Runner of the Year while Kiprop was named Men's Freshman Runner of the Year. Chelangat, fresh of of her second-place finish at the NCAA Women's Cross Country Championships last weekend, was named both Women's Runner of the Year as well as the Women's Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Here is the full list of winners and press release issued by the Southeastern Conference:

2021 SEC Cross Country Awards Announced

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Nov. 22, 2021) — The Southeastern Conference announced its 2021 cross country awards on Monday as voted on by the league's head coaches.

The men's recipients include Alabama's Eliud Kipsang (Runner of the Year), Alabama's Victor Kiprop (Freshman of the Year) and Arkansas' Chris Bucknam (Coach of the Year).

The women's recipients include Alabama's Mercy Chelangat (Runner of the Year), Florida's Parker Valby (Freshman of the Year) and Arkansas' Lance Harter (Coach of the Year).

Kipsang won the SEC men's title with a time of 23:33.5, setting the Gans Creek Cross Country course record. Kiprop was the top male freshman finisher at the SEC Championships and finished in the top-10 of each of his races during the regular season.

Chelangat won the SEC women's title with a time of 19:55.2, setting a course record. She also won the Joe Piane Invitational and finished runner-up in the NCAA Championships. Valby was the top female freshman finisher at the SEC Championships with a time of 20:11.9.

Bucknam guided the Arkansas men to their 27th overall SEC title, while Harter guided the Razorback women to their ninth consecutive SEC crown and 22nd overall.

It was previously announced that Nick Laning of Vanderbilt and Chelangat were voted the Men's Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Women's Scholar-Athlete of the Year, respectively.

2021 SEC Cross Country Awards

Men's Runner of the Year: Eliud Kipsang, Alabama

Men's Freshman Runner of the Year: Victor Kiprop, Alabama

Men's Coach of the Year: Chris Bucknam, Arkansas

Men's Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Nick Laning, Vanderbilt

Women's Runner of the Year: Mercy Chelangat, Alabama

Women's Freshman Runner of the Year: Parker Valby, Florida

Women's Coach of the Year: Lance Harter, Arkansas

Women's Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Mercy Chelangat, Alabama