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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Cheruiyot, Jeruto Qualify for Nationals
November 18, 2024 | Cross Country
NORMAN – Oklahoma freshmen Thobias Cheruiyot and Leah Jeruto have qualified for the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships, officially announced by the national office on Saturday. The runners earned bids to the final site for their excellent performances at the NCAA Midwest Regional in Peoria, Ill., on Friday, where Jeruto took first place and Cheruiyot finished eighth.
"I'm incredibly excited for Thobias and our program to be back at the NCAA Cross Country Championships," said head men's cross country coach Jay Weaver. "This has been something we've been talking about since the beginning of the season, so to see all of Thobias' hard work and determination pay off is really special."
The freshmen will visit the Thomas Zimmer Cross Country Course in Madison, Wis., on Saturday, Nov. 23, for the first NCAA Championships of their careers. Jeruto will compete in the women's 6K at 9:20 a.m. CT and Cheruiyot will run in the men's 10K at 10:10 a.m. CT. The meet will air on ESPNU and live results can be viewed via PT Timing.
"We're proud to be representing Oklahoma and are thankful for the support of our staff and teammates who have helped put is in this position," stated head women's cross country coach Anna Bears. "The conditions and competition in Madison will be a new and exciting challenge, but I have no doubt Leah will continue pouring her heart into every opportunity. Her best race of the season still lies ahead."
To gain entry to the championships, the top-two teams from the nine regional meets automatically qualified and 13 additional teams were selected at-large. The first four regional finishers not from an automatic qualifying or at-large team secured an auto-bid to the championships.
"This fall, Leah has proven not only that she is very fit, but that she's competitive and knows how to race," added Bearss. "She understood the mission in Peoria and the race played out exactly how we believed it could."
An Uasin Gishu, Kenya, native, Cheruiyot is the first Sooner on the men's side to qualify since Dylan Blankenbaker in 2016. Haley Herberg competed at the NCAA Championships for the Oklahoma women in 2018. The most recent year OU sent both a men's and women's runner to participate in the national meet was in 2012.
"Any time you get the opportunity to compete at al national championship is a special moment. I'm excited to see how Saturday goes," concluded Weaver.
Cheruiyot and Jeruto have claimed several conference awards this season, including Second Team All-SEC and All-SEC Freshman Team honors. Cheruiyot was named SEC Freshman Runner of the Week twice and SEC Runner of the Week once during the regular season. Jeruto also secured the SEC Runner of the Week honor on Oct. 22.
Cheruiyot's exceptional season began on Aug. 30 where he claimed first place at the Cowboy Preview in Stillwater, Okla. Jeruto competed in her first collegiate cross country race on Oct. 4, registering third place at the prestigious Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational in Southbend, Ind.
For more information on the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships visit NCAA.com.
CONNECT WITH THE SOONERS
For more information on Oklahoma Track & Field, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Track) and like Oklahoma Sooners Track & Field and Cross Country on Facebook.
"I'm incredibly excited for Thobias and our program to be back at the NCAA Cross Country Championships," said head men's cross country coach Jay Weaver. "This has been something we've been talking about since the beginning of the season, so to see all of Thobias' hard work and determination pay off is really special."
The freshmen will visit the Thomas Zimmer Cross Country Course in Madison, Wis., on Saturday, Nov. 23, for the first NCAA Championships of their careers. Jeruto will compete in the women's 6K at 9:20 a.m. CT and Cheruiyot will run in the men's 10K at 10:10 a.m. CT. The meet will air on ESPNU and live results can be viewed via PT Timing.
"We're proud to be representing Oklahoma and are thankful for the support of our staff and teammates who have helped put is in this position," stated head women's cross country coach Anna Bears. "The conditions and competition in Madison will be a new and exciting challenge, but I have no doubt Leah will continue pouring her heart into every opportunity. Her best race of the season still lies ahead."
To gain entry to the championships, the top-two teams from the nine regional meets automatically qualified and 13 additional teams were selected at-large. The first four regional finishers not from an automatic qualifying or at-large team secured an auto-bid to the championships.
"This fall, Leah has proven not only that she is very fit, but that she's competitive and knows how to race," added Bearss. "She understood the mission in Peoria and the race played out exactly how we believed it could."
An Uasin Gishu, Kenya, native, Cheruiyot is the first Sooner on the men's side to qualify since Dylan Blankenbaker in 2016. Haley Herberg competed at the NCAA Championships for the Oklahoma women in 2018. The most recent year OU sent both a men's and women's runner to participate in the national meet was in 2012.
"Any time you get the opportunity to compete at al national championship is a special moment. I'm excited to see how Saturday goes," concluded Weaver.
Cheruiyot and Jeruto have claimed several conference awards this season, including Second Team All-SEC and All-SEC Freshman Team honors. Cheruiyot was named SEC Freshman Runner of the Week twice and SEC Runner of the Week once during the regular season. Jeruto also secured the SEC Runner of the Week honor on Oct. 22.
Cheruiyot's exceptional season began on Aug. 30 where he claimed first place at the Cowboy Preview in Stillwater, Okla. Jeruto competed in her first collegiate cross country race on Oct. 4, registering third place at the prestigious Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational in Southbend, Ind.
For more information on the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships visit NCAA.com.
CONNECT WITH THE SOONERS
For more information on Oklahoma Track & Field, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Track) and like Oklahoma Sooners Track & Field and Cross Country on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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