Sacramento, Calif.----Wingate University men's cross country junior student-athlete Micah Kipchumba (Nakura, Kenya) lowered his own school record Saturday, finishing 95th in the NCAA Division II national championship meet Saturday at the Arcade Creek Cross Country Course (Haggin Oaks lay-out). Kipchumba ran a 31:31.9 10K in his first appearance on the national stage.
 
Two weeks ago, Kipchumba ran a 31:41.3 10K race in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional cross country championship meet at the WU Cross Country Facility. He was one of five Bulldogs (three men, two women) to find spots on the USTFCCCA All-Southeast Region teams.
 
MEET INFORMATION
 
Top five teams: Colorado Mines (57 points), Adams State, Colo. (136), Chico State, Calif. (143), Grand Valley State, Mich. (177), Northwest Missouri State (206)
Individual finishers: 263 student-athletes
Location: Arcade Creek Cross Country Course (Haggin Oaks lay-out), Sacramento, Calif.
 
INSIDE THE RACE RESULTS
 
-Kipchumba is the Wingate record holder at both the 8K and 10K distances
-UNC Pembroke sophomore Joshua Chepkesir (Eldoret, Kenya) earned All-American status
-The 2019 Southeast Region champ, Chepkesir finished eighth with his 10K time of 29:55.9
-Queens senior Anthony Raftis (Kent, Wash.) was the next finisher from the Southeast Region
-Raftis claimed 36th place with his 10K time of 30:38.7
 
NOTABLES
 
-Wingate men's soccer alumnus Ted Goslen ('83) and his wife Leah Goslen made the trek from Hercules, California to Sacramento to cheer on the #WUXC Bulldogs
-Goslen streamed video on Facebook Live (from the event) and took multiple post-meet photos with the grateful Bulldog XC student-athletes
-Queens and Augusta finished eighth and ninth, respectively, on the team ladder
-Mount Olive was 15th, led by senior Tai Smith (Glendale, Ariz.)
-Smith ran a 10K race of 30:57.3 Saturday (47th place)
-American International (Mass.) redshirt freshman Ezra Mutai (Eldoret, Kenya) won the men's individual national title
-Mutai posted a 10K time of 29:31.2

QUOTABLES

Wingate director of cross country and track and field Matt van Lierop: ""We are in the beginning of an exciting future for the Bulldog running squads. Micah Kipchumba ran a school record…and gets to pass along his experiences to his fellow teammates, as he leads them to the big show next year. Coach Pol (Domenech) and I couldn't be more proud of these young harriers …and look forward to what's coming next."

NEXT ON THE HORIZON
 
Kipchumba and his Wingate University cross country teammates will turn their attention to track and field for the 2020 spring semester. The first indoor meet for the Bulldogs is Jan. 17-18, 2020, when the Navy Blue and Vegas Gold-clad harriers venture to Columbia, S.C. for the USC Gamecock Opener.