Nov. 17, 2009
AUBURN, Ala. - Four Auburn cross country runners have earned NCAA South Regional honors, the United States Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association announced Tuesday.
For the men, three-time NCAA South Regional Champion Felix Kiboiywo earned the third honor of his career after winning the Nov. 14 10K race with a time of 29:35.85. Kiboiywo is hitting his stride after struggling with injuries earlier in the season, and will look to improve on his 28th-place finish at last season's NCAA Championships.
A pair of other Tigers on the men's side earned all-region honors in junior Ben Cheruiyot and senior Jean-Pierre Weerts. Cheruiyot placed third at the regional meet with a time of 30:00.40, while Weerts continued his stellar season, improving drastically with a 16th-place finish (30:46.36) after placing 38th at last season's race. Both will continue his season at the NCAA Championships, taking part in the race for the first time in his career, while Weerts will look to improve on his 119th-place finish last season.
Junior Stephanie Barnes earned regional honors after placing 14th in the 6K race with a time of 20:49.96. She saved her best race for last this year, as it was the first time she was Auburn's top finisher on the season.
The men's season continues at Indiana State University, which will host the NCAA Championships, Mon., Nov. 23, at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course located at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Ind.
The men's race will begin at approximately 11:08 a.m. Central time. The race will be broadcast live on Versus Network and streamed online via NCAA.com.