Herd Cross Country Races At Elevation Friday At App State

Appalachian State to host 15 teams

BOONE, N.C. – Marshall’s cross country teams will get a taste of what awaits them at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships later this year when they compete Friday at the 15-team Covered Bridge Open hosted by Appalachian State.

Herd returning to familiar site

The Mountaineers will play host to the NCAA Championships on Nov. 19, and the Mountaineer men and women are the defending Sun Belt Conference champions. The Herd men finished fifth at the league meet, while the women were seventh.

NCAA national meet format

The NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships will be held for the second consecutive year at the Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Florida.

The men’s 10-kilometer race will start at 10:40 a.m. Eastern time, and the women’s six-kilometer race will begin at 11:40 a.m.

Both races will be broadcast live on ESPN3, and live results will be available at NCAA.com.

Herd women look to improve

The Herd women finished seventh at the Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championships two weeks ago. Their finish was the best they had since joining the league in 2015.

The Herd’s top finisher at the conference meet was senior Philemon Kipchumba, who placed 17th overall. Kipchumba is the school record-holder in the 10,000 meters, and he will be looking to improve upon his finish from last year, when he placed 169th out of 252 runners at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.

Newcomers to help Herd men

The Herd men finished fifth at the Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championships, with senior Joseph Tanui leading the way by finishing 10th overall.

The Herd has added several newcomers to its roster this season, including junior transfer Mathew Kiplagat. Kiplagat is a former All-American at South Plains College in Texas, and he is expected to be a key contributor for the Herd.