Men's Cross Country | 9/16/2026 1:52:18 PM

NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State’s Clinton Kipruto and Delaware State’s Rebecca Jansen earned Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Male and Female Runners of the Week honors, respectively, following standout performances at the Virginia Invitational and Delaware State Invite.
 
Clinton Kipruto | Norfolk State | Fr. | Kapsabet, Kenya
Kipruto won his second consecutive individual title to open the season, leading the 6K field at the Virginia Invitational in 17:39.0. He led from start to finish and finished 5.3 seconds ahead of North Carolina’s Joe Barrett. Kipruto was the only runner outside of North Carolina to finish in the top five and helped Norfolk State place fourth as a team.
 
Rebecca Jansen | Delaware State | So. | Aruba
Jansen led the field at the Delaware State Invite, capturing the women’s 5K title in 19:33.3. She finished first among 44 runners representing six teams to help lead the Hornets at their home meet.
 
Other Top Performers
Alexis Jones (Howard) – Jones led Howard at the Virginia Invitational, finishing 39th overall in the women’s 5K with a time of 18:42.30.
 
Aaron Alukunyang (North Carolina Central) – Alukunyang turned in a dominant performance at the Queen City Invite, winning the men’s 8K by 37 seconds.
 
Lekan Sotonwa (Delaware State) – Sotonwa claimed the men’s 5K title at the Delaware State Invite, crossing the finish line in 15:14.4.
 
Siyabonga Mbatha (Maryland Eastern Shore) – Mbatha turned in a strong fourth-place finish at the Delaware State Invite, covering the men’s 5K course in 15:43.3.
 
About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) enters its 56th year of intercollegiate competition with the 2026–27 academic year. Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, the MEAC is comprised of eight distinguished Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) along the Atlantic seaboard: Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University, and South Carolina State University. Since its founding in 1970, the MEAC has been dedicated to promoting academic excellence, sportsmanship, and the personal growth of student athletes. For more information, visit www.MEACSports.com.