BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Auburn cross country freshman Brenda Jepchirchir was named the 2024 Southeastern Conference Women’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year, the conference office announced Tuesday.
Competing in four meets for the Tigers, Jepchirchir was the top finisher in each. At the conference championships, Jepchirchir ran her best race of the season in the women’s 6k finishing 5th overall, leading the women to an eighth-place finish (19:13.60). She was the first freshman to finish the course and delivered the best showing from an Auburn freshman since Brend Kigen finished fourth in 2015. Following her successful performance, she earned women’s second-team and all-freshman team honors.
This past weekend, she competed In the NCAA South Regional in Tallahassee, Florida. She finished 11th overall, clocking a time of 20:16:00, and secured a bid to the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Following the race, she earned the distinction of All-Region.
Making her cross country debut at the Gans Creek Classic in the 6k, Jepchirchir took gold while setting a record on the Gans Creek Country Course, beating her closest competitor by 3.6 seconds (19:50.10). She was selected as the SEC’s Women’s Runner of the Week for her performance at the meet.
Jepchirchir claimed her second meet victory to help the women to a sixth-place finish at the Wisconsin Pre-Nationals in the 6k “B” race (20:00.60).
The winners are voted on by the league’s head coaches.
To view the full list of honorees, visit here.
Up Next
Jepchirchir will be joined by freshman Nickson Chebii and senior Ryan Kinnane as they travel to Madison, Wisconsin Saturday, Nov. 23, for the NCAA Championships at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course.