by Brian Hoffman
Fayetteville State is the men’s and women’s cross country champions after claiming the men’s 8K title and the women’s 5K title at the CIAA Cross Country Championships held at Green Hill Park on Thursday, October 27. The Broncos won its fifth consecutive women’s title and its first men’s title while also completing the first 1-2-3 sweep in CIAA Men’s Cross Country Championship history.
Hillary Toroitich captured the men’s title in 24:54.0, narrowly outpacing his Fayetteville State teammate Derrick Kipchumba, who finished with a time of 24:55.7.
Shaw’s Michelle Blaha won her second consecutive women’s title with a time of 19:04.4, which is more than a minute better than her winning time last year (20:07.2). Blaha barely beat out Bears’ teammate Thea Schillaci (19:05.8) for first place.
During the awards ceremony, Toroitch was named CIAA Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year and Manuelene Deigh of Virginia State was named CIAA Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year as voted by the CIAA cross country head coaches and sports information directors. Inez Turner of Fayetteville State was named CIAA Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year.
