Sun Devil Cross Country Enters Postseason with First Big 12 Championships

Tempe, Ariz. – It's postseason time!

Sun Devil Cross Country will compete at its first Big 12 Championships on Friday, Nov. 1, at Cottonwood Creek Golf Course in Waco, Texas, hosted by Baylor University.

Live stream /// Live results /// Meet Central /// Sun Devil Men's Honors and Conference/NCAA Results /// Sun Devil Women's Honors and Conference/NCAA Results

Full Meet Schedule (Times listed in AZT)
8 a.m. – Women's 6K championship race
9 a.m. – Men's 8K championship race                               
10 a.m. – Awards

Sun Devil Entries
A total of 14 Sun Devils will suit up in Waco on Friday morning:

Men
Zach Albanese
Ryan Denhof
Kristian Kimberlin
Lemerian Lemashon
Rowdy Menefee
Dennis Rono
Keene Sample

Women
Mia Chavez
Evaline Chepkoech
Judy Chepkoech
Jordan Lee
Kate Miller
Kylie Miller
Ashley Tarasenko

Third-year head coach Ryan Ray's international recruiting efforts over the summer have paid major dividends for the Sun Devils this season. The additions of Judy Chepkoech, a two-time Big 12 Runner of the Week, Evaline Chepkoech, Lemerian Lemashon and Dennis Rono have been a major boost this fall.

Judy Chepkoech, who took third at the Arturo Barrios Invite in the 6k at a school-record 19:07.0, trailed just Juliet Cherubet (Texas Tech) and Leah Jeruto (Oklahoma) in the Sun Devils' last race. She'll look to top both when they square off in the team's first conference championships this week, hoping to bring the Sun Devils their first individual conference champion since Shelby Houlihan in 2014.

The top-15 finishers from both the men's and the women's races will be named to the All-Big 12 team.

Judy Chepkoech's First Three Meets
1) Chepkoech, 2.5 mile (14:09.5/George Kyte Classic)
1) Chepkoech, 6k (19:31.7/UC Riverside Invite)
3) Chepkoech, 6k (19:07.0/Arturo Barrios Invite)

Sun Devil Cross Country Individual Wins in 2024
Judy Chepkoech, 2.5 mile (14:09.5/George Kyte Classic)
Judy Chepkoech, 6k (19:31.7/UC Riverside Invite)

Sun Devil Cross Country Individual Top-10 Finishes in 2024
1) Judy Chepkoech, 2.5 mile (14:09.5/George Kyte Classic)
1) Judy Chepkoech, 6k (19:31.7/UC Riverside Invite)
3) Judy Chepkoech, 6k (19:07.0/Arturo Barrios Invite)
6) Lemerian Lemashon, 8k (23:40.9/UC Riverside Invite)

Individual Conference Champions in Team History
Shelby Houlihan, 2014 (19:59)
Amy Hastings, 2004 (20:19)

Looking Ahead
The Sun Devils hope to push several individuals through to the national championships on Nov. 23 in Wisconsin. Here's how the selection process will play out, via the NCAA:

• Thirty-eight individuals will be selected to participate in each championship through an automatic qualifier and at-large selection process.
  • The first four regional finishers not from an automatic qualifying or at-large team also secure an auto-bid to the championships.

Follow Along
Keep up with the Sun Devils in their postseason journey via the team's social media, @SunDevilTFXC, which will be updated regularly with news, stories, results and more.