Norfolk State, Howard Students Claim MEAC Cross Country Awards

NORFOLK, Va. – Following an opening weekend highlighted by several strong performances across the league, Norfolk State’s Clinton Kipruto and Howard’s Mira Martin were named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Male and Female Runners of the Week, respectively.

Clinton Kipruto | Norfolk State | Fr. | Kapsabet, Kenya
Clinton Kipruto captured the individual title at the Spider Alumni Open, leading the 6K wire-to-wire in 18:05.5. He averaged 4:51.0 per mile and won by 13.5 seconds, helping Norfolk State finish third among 14 teams.

Mira Martin | Howard | Jr. | Columbus, Ohio
Mira Martin placed second individually at the Mount 5K Duals, crossing the finish line in 19:05.53. Her performance helped Howard claim the team title and finish first among the five-team field.

Other Top Performers
Abigael Chebet (Norfolk State) – Abigael Chebet led Norfolk State at the Spider Alumni Open, placing among the top runners in the 4K with a time of 16:04.3. She helped the Spartans finish ahead of four teams in the 16-team field.

Aaron Alukunyang (North Carolina Central) – Aaron Alukunyang won the individual title at the Elon Opener, covering the 6K course in 18:57.6. He finished first among 131 runners and led the field while helping his team place 12th.

Natnael Gebremariam (Morgan State) – Natnael Gebremariam led the Bears at the Delaware Invitational, placing sixth in the 6K with a time of 21:03.0. His performance placed him among the meet’s top finishers and helped open his sophomore season on a strong note.

Banele Mkabela (Maryland Eastern Shore) – Banele Mkabela placed third at the Salisbury University Fall Classic, completing the 8K course in 24:57.0. He was the top finisher for his team in the seven-team field.

Noah Douglas (Howard) – Noah Douglas placed first at the Mount 5K Duals, covering the course in 15:58.86 as Howard captured the team title in the four-team field.