Fayetteville State Sweeps 2026 CIAA Cross Country Championships, Captures Both Team and Individual Titles
Broncos Claim Men's and Women's Championships at the 56th CIAA Cross Country Championship; Frank Hyland Earns Both Coach of the Year Honors

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (October 22, 2026) – The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA®) concluded its 56th CIAA Cross Country Championship on Thursday, October 22, at Green Hill Park in Salem, Virginia, with Fayetteville State University delivering a commanding performance, sweeping the men's and women's team championships and capturing both individual titles.
Fayetteville State continued its championship tradition, securing its ninth consecutive women's cross country title with 25 points while claiming the men's championship with 26 points in a closely contested race against Virginia Union University. The Broncos also produced both individual champions, as Faith Kiplimo captured the women's title and Franklin Kipchirchir won the men's race.
Head coach Frank Hyland was recognized as the CIAA Men's and Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year, earning both honors after guiding Fayetteville State to another championship sweep.
The championship also celebrated the 2026 CIAA Cross Country Performers of the Year, with Fayetteville State's Faith Kiplimo earning the women's honor and Virginia Union University's Abel Kipkemboi receiving the men's recognition. Both awards were determined through voting by the CIAA Cross Country Head Coaches Association.
Complete championship results are available at SnapTiming.

Men's Championship Recap
Fayetteville State University captured the 2026 CIAA Men's Cross Country Championship, finishing with 26 team points to edge Virginia Union University by just three points in one of the day's closest team competitions.
The Broncos placed all five scoring runners among the top nine finishers to secure the conference crown. Virginia Union delivered an equally impressive performance, placing five runners among the top ten, but finished second with 29 points. Virginia State University rounded out the top three with 99 points.
Leading the way for Fayetteville State was junior Franklin Kipchirchir, who captured the men's individual championship in a personal-best time of 17:56.9.
Kipchirchir finished just 3.4 seconds ahead of Virginia Union's Abel Kipkemboi, the 2026 CIAA Male Cross Country Performer of the Year, who placed second in 18:00.3. Virginia Union freshman Allan Kipkorir completed the podium in 18:05.7, giving the Panthers two of the top three finishers.
Fayetteville State junior Brian Kiprop finished fourth in 18:58.0, followed by teammate Dominic Malel in fifth at 19:01.9. Sophomore Rowny Kipchirchir placed seventh in 19:21.1, while junior Ian Kiprono finished ninth in 19:30.7 to complete Fayetteville State's five scoring positions.
Virginia Union's Rodger Korir finished sixth in 19:17.5, Marcus Merritt II placed eighth in 19:29.2 and Keon Koonce finished tenth in 19:30.8, helping the Panthers remain within striking distance throughout the championship.

Top Three Men's Team Finishes

1. Fayetteville State University: 26 points
2. Virginia Union University: 29 points
3. Virginia State University: 99 points

Top 15 Men's Finishers | All-CIAA Recognition

1. Franklin Kipchirchir | Fayetteville State | 17:56.9
2. Abel Kipkemboi | Virginia Union | 18:00.3
3. Allan Kipkorir | Virginia Union | 18:05.7
4. Brian Kiprop | Fayetteville State | 18:58.0
5. Dominic Malel | Fayetteville State | 19:01.9
6. Rodger Korir | Virginia Union | 19:17.5
7. Rowny Kipchirchir | Fayetteville State | 19:21.1
8. Marcus Merritt II | Virginia Union | 19:29.2
9. Ian Kiprono | Fayetteville State | 19:30.7
10. Keon Koonce | Virginia Union | 19:30.8
11. Emmanuel Williams | Virginia State | 20:00.7
12. Eureka Washington | Claflin | 20:31.6
13. Brandon Jeffers | Livingstone | 20:47.5
14. Collin Serem | Fayetteville State | 21:10.8
15. Nellie Ambriton | Bluefield State | 21:30.0

Men's Individual Champion: Franklin Kipchirchir | Fayetteville State University | 17:56.9
Men's Team Champion: Fayetteville State University
Men's Coach of the Year: Frank Hyland | Fayetteville State University

Women's Championship Recap
Fayetteville State University continued its remarkable championship tradition, capturing its ninth consecutive CIAA Women's Cross Country Championship with a dominant team performance.
The Broncos finished with 25 team points, placing four runners among the top six and five among the top 11 to secure another conference title. Winston-Salem State University claimed runner-up honors with 52 points, while Virginia Union University finished third with 70 points.
Leading Fayetteville State was sophomore Faith Kiplimo, who successfully defended her individual championship with a winning time of 18:10.1. The Eldoret, Kenya, native, also recognized as the 2026 CIAA Female Cross Country Performer of the Year, continued her impressive collegiate career with another championship performance.
Winston-Salem State senior Ann Badawi finished second overall in 18:41.0, while Fayetteville State sophomore Vivian Kiprono secured third place with a personal-best time of 19:01.8.
Fayetteville State's Videlma Jebet placed fourth in 19:07.8, followed by Virginia Union's Natalie Young in fifth at 19:13.1. Fayetteville State's Faith Rotich finished sixth in 19:17.2, giving the Broncos four of the first six finishers.
Winston-Salem State demonstrated its depth with four runners among the top ten, including Badawi, Rainn Sheppard, Elicia Bryant and Ava Millner, helping the Rams secure second place in the team standings.
With the victory, Fayetteville State extended its women's championship streak to nine consecutive titles, further solidifying the program's legacy within CIAA cross country.
Top Three Women's Team Finishes

1. Fayetteville State University: 25 points
2. Winston-Salem State University: 52 points
3. Virginia Union University: 70 points

Top 15 Women's Finishers | All-CIAA Recognition

1. Faith Kiplimo | Fayetteville State | 18:10.1
2. Ann Badawi | Winston-Salem State | 18:41.0
3. Vivian Kiprono | Fayetteville State | 19:01.8
4. Videlma Jebet | Fayetteville State | 19:07.8
5. Natalie Young | Virginia Union | 19:13.1
6. Faith Rotich | Fayetteville State | 19:17.2
7. Rainn Sheppard | Winston-Salem State | 19:44.3
8. Elicia Bryant | Winston-Salem State | 19:49.3
9. Jael Pratt | Claflin | 19:56.1
10. Ava Millner | Winston-Salem State | 19:56.6
11. Ashley Bell | Fayetteville State | 20:05.5
12. Kiera Coleman | Virginia State | 20:14.4
13. Pelisha Kosgei | Fayetteville State | 20:19.9
14. Toni MiddleBrooks | Virginia Union | 20:36.3
15. Genesis Lee | Bluefield State | 20:37.7

Women's Individual Champion: Faith Kiplimo | Fayetteville State University | 18:10.1
Women's Team Champion: Fayetteville State University
Women's Coach of the Year: Frank Hyland | Fayetteville State University

2026 CIAA Cross Country Performers of the Year
The CIAA recognized Faith Kiplimo of Fayetteville State University and Abel Kipkemboi of Virginia Union University as the 2026 Female and Male Cross Country Performers of the Year.
The honors were determined through voting by the CIAA Cross Country Head Coaches Association, recognizing the student-athletes' outstanding accomplishments, consistency and competitive performances throughout the regular season.

Female Performer of the Year: Faith Kiplimo
Fayetteville State University | Sophomore | Eldoret, Kenya
Kiplimo established herself among the conference's premier distance runners during the 2026 season, ranking No. 1 among CIAA female runners and fifth in the Atlantic Region.
The sophomore recorded a runner-up finish in the 6K at the Rams Atlantic Region Preview with a time of 22:37.3 and delivered a personal-best 5K time of 17:38.6 at the Royals Cross Country Challenge, finishing 11th overall.
Kiplimo also placed 18th overall at the Queen City Invite with a time of 18:16.9 and earned CIAA Female Cross Country Performer of the Week recognition during the season.
She capped her conference championship campaign by capturing the women's individual title in 18:10.1, successfully defending her 2025 crown and helping Fayetteville State secure its ninth consecutive women's team championship.

Male Performer of the Year: Abel Kipkemboi
Virginia Union University | Kapsabet, Kenya
Kipkemboi emerged as one of the conference's premier distance runners during the 2026 season, highlighted by an individual victory at the Royals Cross Country Challenge in Charlotte, North Carolina.
He captured first place in the men's 8K Gold race with a personal-best time of 24:11.1, edging Fayetteville State's Franklin Kipchirchir by one second.
His performance marked an improvement of nearly 90 seconds from his previous 8K time of 25:41.0 at the Richmond Invitational.
Kipkemboi's victory helped Virginia Union secure a ninth-place team finish among 27 scoring programs, with teammate Allan Kipkorir placing third overall.
At the CIAA Championship, Kipkemboi finished second overall in 18:00.3, helping Virginia Union secure runner-up honors in the men's team standings.

Fayetteville State Completes Championship Sweep
With both men's and women's team titles secured, Fayetteville State completed another impressive championship sweep, claiming all four team and individual championship distinctions at the 56th CIAA Cross Country Championship.
Under the leadership of head coach Frank Hyland, the Broncos continued to demonstrate their strength and consistency across both programs. Hyland's recognition as both Men's and Women's Coach of the Year capped a successful championship day for Fayetteville State.
The CIAA congratulates all participating student-athletes, coaches and institutions on their accomplishments throughout the 2026 cross country season.
Qualifying student-athletes and teams will now turn their attention to NCAA Division II regional competition as they continue their postseason campaigns.
For complete championship results, visit SnapTiming.

Media Contact
Matisse S. Lee
Senior Associate Commissioner, Communications & Marketing, Special Projects / SWA
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)
mlee@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, for both 2018 and 2019.
Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the CIAA is governed by the Presidents and Chancellors of its 12 member institutions: Bluefield State University, Bowie 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.