CHARLOTTE, N.C. (September 26, 2025) – The 2025 CIAA cross country season is off to a fast start on both the men’s and women’s sides, with standout individual performances and strong team showings building momentum toward the CIAA Cross Country Championship on October 23 at Green Hill Park in Salem, Va. Early-season meets have highlighted established champions, rising freshmen, and deep rosters, setting the stage for a competitive conference finale.
Women’s Cross Country
Virginia Union graduate student Abijah Jepkemboi (Kapsabet, Kenya) set the pace at the Blue Bear Invitational on September 19, capturing the women’s individual title in 17:32.54 over 4.5 kilometers to earn CIAA Women’s Cross Country Performer of the Week honors. She was flanked by teammates Natalie Young (3rd) and Toni Middlebrooks (5th), underscoring the Panthers’ strength up front.
Winston-Salem State impressed at the same meet, securing the women’s team title behind freshman Ava Millner (Atco, N.J.), who finished runner-up in 17:47.16. Millner had already earned CIAA Week Two Performer of the Week recognition for her 6th-place finish at the Pfeiffer Invitational (20:08, 5K). She was joined at Blue Bear by Elicia Bryant (4th, 18:13.24), giving the Rams two top-five finishers and the edge in team scoring.
At Fayetteville State, defending champion Irene Jeptoo (Eldoret, Kenya), the 2024 CIAA Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year, returns after claiming last year’s conference crown in 17:55.6 (5K). She is joined by standout freshman Faith Kiplimo, who earned CIAA Week One Runner of the Week honors in her debut. Together, Jeptoo and Kiplimo provide the Broncos with a formidable 1–2 pairing as they aim to contend in October.
Men’s Cross Country
The Blue Bear Invitational highlighted the dominance of Virginia Union’s men, who captured the team title with a clean sweep of the top three spots. Rodgers Korir claimed the individual victory, followed closely by Darryl Hawkins (2nd) and Keon Koonce (3rd). Their 1–2–3 finish gave the Panthers an insurmountable edge in team scoring and positioned them as a force in 2025.
Fayetteville State also boasts one of the conference’s top men in Franklin Kipchirchir (Kapsabet, Kenya). The sophomore nursing major earned CIAA Week Two Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week after finishing 6th at the Queen City Invitational (24:26, 8K) to pace the Broncos. His performance signals that FSU has a frontrunner capable of challenging for individual honors again this season.
Winston-Salem State’s men showed promise at Blue Bear, led by Zachary Patrick (10th, 18:37.30). He was joined in the Rams’ scoring five by K’Lijah Jackson-Melton (14th, 19:21.23), E’Maije Ambrose (22nd, 21:45.79), Jyheir Morrison (23rd, 21:50.89), and Henry Weah (28th, 22:05.03). The Rams displayed resilience and balance across their lineup, a positive sign as the season progresses.
Other programs across the conference are expected to assert themselves in the coming weeks, as athletes sharpen and team packs solidify. With Virginia Union setting the early bar, Fayetteville State led by Kipchirchir, and Winston-Salem State developing valuable depth, the men’s competition promises to be closely contested.
Championship Outlook
Both the men’s and women’s races are shaping up to be highly competitive at the 2025 CIAA Cross Country Championship, scheduled for Thursday, October 23 at Green Hill Park in Salem, Virginia.
On the women’s side, Virginia Union and Winston-Salem State enter October with strong showings, while Fayetteville State brings back the defending champion and a talented freshman addition. With each program boasting front-runners and depth, the title could hinge on the performance of each team’s third, fourth, and fifth scorers.
On the men’s side, Virginia Union’s sweep at the Blue Bear Invitational established the Panthers as early favorites, but Fayetteville State’s Kipchirchir has proven he can run with the region’s best and Winston-Salem State is showing encouraging pack development. With more results to come in October, the men’s field could tighten considerably by championship day.
Following the CIAA Championship, qualifying teams and individuals from both divisions will advance to the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional on November 8.
Media Contact:
Anna M. Butzlaff
Associate Commissioner, Strategic Communications
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)
abutzlaff@theciaa.com
About the CIAA
Founded in 1912, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the first and longest running African American athletic conference in the U.S. and one of the most recognized conferences in Division II. The CIAA conducts 14 championships attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country. The Basketball Tournament has been honored as a 2019 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism by Sports Destination Management, the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market, for both 2018 and 2019.
Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the CIAA is governed by the Presidents and Chancellors of its 12 member institutions: Bowie State University, Bluefield State University, Claflin University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Winston-Salem State University. For more information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.