Friday, November 14
Fayetteville, AR
9:00 A.M.
Stephen F. Austin
at
NCAA South Central Regional Championship
Photo by: Jordan Segelken
‘Jacks Return to Fayetteville for South Central Region Championships
11/13/2025 5:01:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
SFA sends confident squads back to Northwest Arkansas looking to extend seasons
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Agri Park on the campus of the University of Arkansas is the stage and the NCAA DI South Central Regional Championship is the scene for Southland Conference champion Stephen F. Austin as the Lumberjacks trek north to Fayetteville eyeing potential bids to the Division I National Championship meet. The women's 6K starts at 9 a.m. with the men off and running in the morning's 10K an hour later. Live result links are available at www.SFAjacks.com.
The last time the 'Jacks were in action resulted in hardware. The SFA men dominated 11 other teams at the SLC Championship with a 20-point finish: the second lowest score in league history and the lowest since 1965. The SFA women raced by Texas A&M Corpus Christi, overcoming the Islanders in the last kilometer, in Natchitoches to secure the program's SLC-best ninth conference title.
The Lumberjack men bring a nine-man squad into the regional and will don bibs #351 through #359 in the 222-runner field. SLC individual champ Nathan Kapel, silver medalist Paul Kiprotich, bronze medalist Riley Elliott, first-team honoree Ryan Binskin, league freshman of the year Sam Golla and fellow second teamer Lathen Lewter and Japhet Kemei, Andrew Mullen and Zach McPhee make up SFA's Friday morning roster.
On the women's side, SFA deploys an eight-runner squad wearing bibs #140 through #147 in the 217-runner field. All-SLC first-team selections Valentine Jemutai, Sharon Omwoyo and Mercy Kipchumba and second-team honorees Trude Lamb and Garance Dubray along with Kathryn Tucker, Keara Zver and Lizi McGuire are in action for their third-straight 6K.
The men's race includes 21 teams with seven or more registered runners. The SFA men are the lone conference champion among the region's top 15.
The women's run features 20 teams with seven plus registered runners. The SFA women are joined by Tulane, the American champion, as the two squads with postseason hardware among the region's top 15 teams.
The top two teams to cross on Friday morning in each race as well as the top two individuals not associated with a top two team will advance to the NCAA Division I National Championship on November 22 in Columbia, Missouri.
XCRI: Cross Country Rating Index
VIEW: https://web4.ustfccca.org/iz/xcri?view=teams
The Lumberjack men hold a current LIVE ranking (11/12; 5:05 p.m.) at No. 10 nationally as the highest rated non-Power 4 team in the standings. That's an 11-placement jumped from the program's initial index rating of No. 21. The SFA women have a current LIVE ranking (11/12; 5:05 p.m.) at No. 65 nationally. That's a climb up four spots from No. 69 in the November 3 release.
ABOUT THE COURSES
Per the University of Arkansas
WOMEN'S 6K: The first mile mark is near the pond, the course then winds through agricultural fields and a few small groves of trees before coming to the 2 mile mark, the course follows the tree line down past the starting line and into the meadow and then back up to the top of the hill near the pond, the 3 mile mark is just before approaching the last big down-hill of the course. There is approximately a 400-meter straight run-in to the finish.
MEN'S 10K: The first mile mark is near the pond, the course then winds through agricultural fields and a few small groves of tree before coming to the 2 mile mark, the course follows the tree line down past the starting line and into the meadow where the second loop of the course begins repeating all of the first loop until the end of the meadow where a hair-pin turn is made with a 100 meter sprint into the finish. The 3-mile mark is on the second loop at the top of the hill as the course turns to wind back toward the rim of the pond. The 4-mile mark at the end of the agricultural fields is just before approaching a right-hand turn and the second grove of trees.
SFA AT THE SLC CHAMPIONSHIPS (ALL-TIME) – Updated November 2025
SFA MEN
Championships: 6 (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2025)
Individual Champions: 6 (Nathan Flores, '02; Michael Thompson, '03; Cody Clark, '05; Charles Mathenge, '16; Elkana Kipruto, '24; Nathan Kapel, '25)
Runner-Up: 10 (1998, 1999, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2024)
Coach of the Year: 6 (Alex Gibby, '01, '02; Lou Snelling, '03, '04, '05; Rob Hansen, '25)
Athlete of the Year: 6 (Nathan Flores, '02; Michael Thompson, '03; Cody Clark, '05; Charles Mathenge, '16; Elkana Kipruto, '24; Nathan Kapel, '25)
Newcomer of the Year: 2 (Charles Mathenge, '14; Nathan Kapel, '25)
Freshman of the Year: 6 (Mitch Ownbey, '08; Anthony Gallardo, '13; Brandt Preston, '16; Titus Kiplagat, '18; Elkana Kipruto, '24; Sam Golla, '25)
SFA WOMEN
*Championships: 9 (1987, 1988, 1990, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2025)
*Individual Champions: 7 (Renee Rowell, '90; Ana Rodriguez, '02, '03; Ashley Monteau, '04, '05; Lauren Smith, '11, '12)
Runner-Up: 10 (1989, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2019)
Coach of the Year: 9 (Peggy Vigil, '90; Annie Bennett, '98; Alex Gibby, '02; Lou Snelling, '03, '09, '10; Cody Clark, '12, '16; Rob Hansen, '25)
Athlete of the Year: 7 (Renee Rowell, '90; Ana Rodriguez, '02, '03; Ashley Monteau, '04, '05; Lauren Smith, '11, '12)
Newcomer of the Year: 2 (Lauren Smith, '10; Danielle Burchett, '12)
Freshman of the Year: 3 (Stephanie Ganter, '08; Taryn Surratt, '16; Meredith Clayton, '19)
*SLC-best
2025 FINISHES (TOP FINISHER)
SFA MEN
Lumberjack Invitational (1st of 3, 15 pts); Lathan Lewter (1st of 37), 15:07 (3K)
Demon Invitational/SLC Preview (1st of 5, 15 pts); Nathan Kapel (1st of 40), 18:04.44 (6K)
*Chile Pepper Festival (4th of 30, 118 pts); Riley Elliott (13th of 285), 24:14.7 (8K)
Arturo Barrios Invitational (3rd of 32, 101 pts); Nathan Kapel (6th of 323), 23:02.7 (8K)
SLC Championship (1st of 12, 20 pts); Nathan Kapel (1st of 99), 22:54.80 (8K)
SFA WOMEN
Lumberjack Invitational (1st of 3, 17 pts); Valentine Jemutai (1st of 31), 11:19.7 (2 mile)
Demon Invite/SLC Preview (1st of 5, 22 pts); Valentine Jemutai (1st of 42), 13:52.91 (4K)
*Chile Pepper Festival (3rd of 29, 110 pts); Valentine Jemutai (6th of 269), 16:26.7 (5K)
Arturo Barrios Invitational (5th of 37, 198 pts); Valentine Jemutai (9th of 311), 19:52.3 (6K)
SLC Championship (1st of 12, 36 pts); Valentine Jemutai (2nd of 86), 20:17.90 (6K)
*highest team finish at meet in program history
'JACKS IN THE REGIONAL RANKINGS
SFA MEN
8/25: 7th
9/15: 6th
9/29: 6th
10/6: 6th
10/20: 4th (program-high ranking)
11/3: 4th
SFA WOMEN
8/25: 10th
9/15: 10th
9/29: 10th
10/6: 7th
10/20: 7th
11/3: 7th
'JACKS 2025 AWARD WINNERS
SLC Women's XC Coach of the Year: Robert Hansen
Women's All-SLC First Team: Valentine Jemutai, Sharon Omwoyo, Mercy Kipchumba
Women's All-SLC Second Team: Trude Lamb, Garance Dubray
SLC Men's XC Coach of the Year: Robert Hansen
SLC Men's Athlete of the Year: Nathan Kapel
SLC Men's Newcomer of the Year: Nathan Kapel
SLC Men's Freshman of the Year: Sam Golla
Men's All-SLC First Team: Nathan Kapel, Paul Kiprotich, Riley Elliott, Ryan Binskin
Men's All-SLC Second Team: Sam Golla, Lathan Lewter
9/2: Lathan Lewter – SLC Male Runner of the Week
9/16: Nathan Kapel – SLC Male Runner of the Week
10/21: Nathan Kapel – SLC Male Runner of the Week
10/21: Valentine Jemutai – SLC Honorable Mention Female Runner of the Week
RECORD-BREAKING 'JACKS
10/4: Valentine Jemutai sets new SFA female 5K program record (16:26.7) at Chile Pepper
FOLLOW THE LUMBERJACKS
For all the latest information on SFA XC, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Lumberjacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
The last time the 'Jacks were in action resulted in hardware. The SFA men dominated 11 other teams at the SLC Championship with a 20-point finish: the second lowest score in league history and the lowest since 1965. The SFA women raced by Texas A&M Corpus Christi, overcoming the Islanders in the last kilometer, in Natchitoches to secure the program's SLC-best ninth conference title.
The Lumberjack men bring a nine-man squad into the regional and will don bibs #351 through #359 in the 222-runner field. SLC individual champ Nathan Kapel, silver medalist Paul Kiprotich, bronze medalist Riley Elliott, first-team honoree Ryan Binskin, league freshman of the year Sam Golla and fellow second teamer Lathen Lewter and Japhet Kemei, Andrew Mullen and Zach McPhee make up SFA's Friday morning roster.
On the women's side, SFA deploys an eight-runner squad wearing bibs #140 through #147 in the 217-runner field. All-SLC first-team selections Valentine Jemutai, Sharon Omwoyo and Mercy Kipchumba and second-team honorees Trude Lamb and Garance Dubray along with Kathryn Tucker, Keara Zver and Lizi McGuire are in action for their third-straight 6K.
The men's race includes 21 teams with seven or more registered runners. The SFA men are the lone conference champion among the region's top 15.
The women's run features 20 teams with seven plus registered runners. The SFA women are joined by Tulane, the American champion, as the two squads with postseason hardware among the region's top 15 teams.
The top two teams to cross on Friday morning in each race as well as the top two individuals not associated with a top two team will advance to the NCAA Division I National Championship on November 22 in Columbia, Missouri.
XCRI: Cross Country Rating Index
VIEW: https://web4.ustfccca.org/iz/xcri?view=teams
The Lumberjack men hold a current LIVE ranking (11/12; 5:05 p.m.) at No. 10 nationally as the highest rated non-Power 4 team in the standings. That's an 11-placement jumped from the program's initial index rating of No. 21. The SFA women have a current LIVE ranking (11/12; 5:05 p.m.) at No. 65 nationally. That's a climb up four spots from No. 69 in the November 3 release.
ABOUT THE COURSES
Per the University of Arkansas
WOMEN'S 6K: The first mile mark is near the pond, the course then winds through agricultural fields and a few small groves of trees before coming to the 2 mile mark, the course follows the tree line down past the starting line and into the meadow and then back up to the top of the hill near the pond, the 3 mile mark is just before approaching the last big down-hill of the course. There is approximately a 400-meter straight run-in to the finish.
MEN'S 10K: The first mile mark is near the pond, the course then winds through agricultural fields and a few small groves of tree before coming to the 2 mile mark, the course follows the tree line down past the starting line and into the meadow where the second loop of the course begins repeating all of the first loop until the end of the meadow where a hair-pin turn is made with a 100 meter sprint into the finish. The 3-mile mark is on the second loop at the top of the hill as the course turns to wind back toward the rim of the pond. The 4-mile mark at the end of the agricultural fields is just before approaching a right-hand turn and the second grove of trees.
SFA AT THE SLC CHAMPIONSHIPS (ALL-TIME) – Updated November 2025
SFA MEN
Championships: 6 (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2025)
Individual Champions: 6 (Nathan Flores, '02; Michael Thompson, '03; Cody Clark, '05; Charles Mathenge, '16; Elkana Kipruto, '24; Nathan Kapel, '25)
Runner-Up: 10 (1998, 1999, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2024)
Coach of the Year: 6 (Alex Gibby, '01, '02; Lou Snelling, '03, '04, '05; Rob Hansen, '25)
Athlete of the Year: 6 (Nathan Flores, '02; Michael Thompson, '03; Cody Clark, '05; Charles Mathenge, '16; Elkana Kipruto, '24; Nathan Kapel, '25)
Newcomer of the Year: 2 (Charles Mathenge, '14; Nathan Kapel, '25)
Freshman of the Year: 6 (Mitch Ownbey, '08; Anthony Gallardo, '13; Brandt Preston, '16; Titus Kiplagat, '18; Elkana Kipruto, '24; Sam Golla, '25)
SFA WOMEN
*Championships: 9 (1987, 1988, 1990, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2025)
*Individual Champions: 7 (Renee Rowell, '90; Ana Rodriguez, '02, '03; Ashley Monteau, '04, '05; Lauren Smith, '11, '12)
Runner-Up: 10 (1989, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2019)
Coach of the Year: 9 (Peggy Vigil, '90; Annie Bennett, '98; Alex Gibby, '02; Lou Snelling, '03, '09, '10; Cody Clark, '12, '16; Rob Hansen, '25)
Athlete of the Year: 7 (Renee Rowell, '90; Ana Rodriguez, '02, '03; Ashley Monteau, '04, '05; Lauren Smith, '11, '12)
Newcomer of the Year: 2 (Lauren Smith, '10; Danielle Burchett, '12)
Freshman of the Year: 3 (Stephanie Ganter, '08; Taryn Surratt, '16; Meredith Clayton, '19)
*SLC-best
2025 FINISHES (TOP FINISHER)
SFA MEN
Lumberjack Invitational (1st of 3, 15 pts); Lathan Lewter (1st of 37), 15:07 (3K)
Demon Invitational/SLC Preview (1st of 5, 15 pts); Nathan Kapel (1st of 40), 18:04.44 (6K)
*Chile Pepper Festival (4th of 30, 118 pts); Riley Elliott (13th of 285), 24:14.7 (8K)
Arturo Barrios Invitational (3rd of 32, 101 pts); Nathan Kapel (6th of 323), 23:02.7 (8K)
SLC Championship (1st of 12, 20 pts); Nathan Kapel (1st of 99), 22:54.80 (8K)
SFA WOMEN
Lumberjack Invitational (1st of 3, 17 pts); Valentine Jemutai (1st of 31), 11:19.7 (2 mile)
Demon Invite/SLC Preview (1st of 5, 22 pts); Valentine Jemutai (1st of 42), 13:52.91 (4K)
*Chile Pepper Festival (3rd of 29, 110 pts); Valentine Jemutai (6th of 269), 16:26.7 (5K)
Arturo Barrios Invitational (5th of 37, 198 pts); Valentine Jemutai (9th of 311), 19:52.3 (6K)
SLC Championship (1st of 12, 36 pts); Valentine Jemutai (2nd of 86), 20:17.90 (6K)
*highest team finish at meet in program history
'JACKS IN THE REGIONAL RANKINGS
SFA MEN
8/25: 7th
9/15: 6th
9/29: 6th
10/6: 6th
10/20: 4th (program-high ranking)
11/3: 4th
SFA WOMEN
8/25: 10th
9/15: 10th
9/29: 10th
10/6: 7th
10/20: 7th
11/3: 7th
'JACKS 2025 AWARD WINNERS
SLC Women's XC Coach of the Year: Robert Hansen
Women's All-SLC First Team: Valentine Jemutai, Sharon Omwoyo, Mercy Kipchumba
Women's All-SLC Second Team: Trude Lamb, Garance Dubray
SLC Men's XC Coach of the Year: Robert Hansen
SLC Men's Athlete of the Year: Nathan Kapel
SLC Men's Newcomer of the Year: Nathan Kapel
SLC Men's Freshman of the Year: Sam Golla
Men's All-SLC First Team: Nathan Kapel, Paul Kiprotich, Riley Elliott, Ryan Binskin
Men's All-SLC Second Team: Sam Golla, Lathan Lewter
9/2: Lathan Lewter – SLC Male Runner of the Week
9/16: Nathan Kapel – SLC Male Runner of the Week
10/21: Nathan Kapel – SLC Male Runner of the Week
10/21: Valentine Jemutai – SLC Honorable Mention Female Runner of the Week
RECORD-BREAKING 'JACKS
10/4: Valentine Jemutai sets new SFA female 5K program record (16:26.7) at Chile Pepper
FOLLOW THE LUMBERJACKS
For all the latest information on SFA XC, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Lumberjacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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