Oregon's Edward Cheserek wins third NCAA cross country title
Oregon junior Edward Cheserek won his third consecutive NCAA cross country crown with a 28:45.8 victory for 10,000-meters at E. P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky.
Cheserek’s victory ties him with Oregon great Steve Prefontaine and Washington State runners Henry Rono and Gerry Lindgren as the only three-time NCAA cross country title winners. Prefontaine did not compete in 1972 after coming off the Olympics in Munich.
Villanova's Patrick Tiernan finished second in 29:11.1.
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Cheserek has won 14 of his 18 cross country races and is the only collegiate to win three Pac-12 titles. His NCAA crown also puts him at nine career NCAA titles for cross country and track, which ties him with Mike Conley and Robert Howard of Arkansas for the fourth most all time.
Cheserek has also extended the Kenyan winning streak at the cross country national championship to seven. Liberty’s Sam Chelanga, now an American citizen, won back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010. Lawi Lalang of Arizona won in 2011 and was dethroned by Texas Tech’s Kenny Kithuka in 2012. Cheserek pulled off the upset over Lalang and Kithuka for his first national title in 2013.
Colorado's Pierce Murphy was the top American finisher in third place.
Edward Cheserek NCAA Championship victories:
Freshman year: Won in 29:41. Defeats Kennedy Kithuka of Texas Tech by 18 seconds.
Sophomore year: Won in 30:19.4. Defeats Eric Jenkins of Oregon by four seconds.
Junior year: Won in 28:45.8. Defeats Patrick Tiernan of Villanova by 26 seconds.
- Christopher Chavez
