WINFIELD, Kan. (BlueDragonSports.com) – It took 40 seasons before a Hutchinson Community College women’s cross country runner broke the 18-minute barrier. It only took one meet for a Blue Dragon runner to go sub-17 minutes.
Freshman Faith Jepchirchir made it 3 for 3 this season, winning her third meet, the second in school-record fashion to lead the No. 6-ranked Blue Dragon women at the Region 6 Preview at the Kansas Veterans Home in Winfield.
The Blue Dragons did not post a team score on Saturday with only three runners competing. No. 4-ranked Crowder College won the women’s team title with 23 points. Eighth-ranked Butler was second with 50 points on the same course where the 2024 Region 6 Cross Country Championships will be contested in two weeks.
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Jepchirchir broke her own 5K school record by 12.34 second on Saturday, winning the preview with a time of 16:55.33. Jepchirchir first broke the Blue Dragons’ 5,000-meter record two weeks ago at the Chili Pepper Festival with a time of 17:08.1. On that day, Lilian Mateo Torrez also broke the 18-minute mark.
Jepchirchir also became the first Blue Dragon to win three events in the same season in program history.
Sophomore Abigail Grantham became the 41st Blue Dragon runner to break into the sub-20-minute club with a career-best time of 19:35.16. Grantham finished 13th for her career-best placing at 5,000 meters.
Sophomore Laura Avila had a season-best time of 19:53.06, her third career sub-20-minute time.
The Blue Dragons next run at the Region 6 Championships on Friday, October 25 at the Kansas Veterans Home in Winfield.
BLUE DRAGON WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY TOP 10 TIMES
5,000 Meters
1. Faith Jepchirchir – 2024 16:55.3
2. Lilian Mateo Torrez – 2024 17:31.9
3. Jordyn Picolet – 2024 17:53.1
4. Serenity Larson – 2022 18:12.1
5. Lisayo Ewoi – 2018 18:29.1
6. Louise Cocking – 2022 18:45.9
7. Ruth Limo – 2001 18:50.0
8. Laura Avila – 2023 18:55.0
9. Gabby Collins – 2018 19:06.5
10. Maggie Lambert – 2017 19:06.6
