MOUNT OLIVE  - Joshua Chepkesir and Jackline Kosgei each cruised to an individual title to help the UNC Pembroke men's and women's cross country teams to runne-up finishes at the Conference Carolinas Conference Championship on Saturday.
 
Chepkesir, who covered the 8K course in 24:13.2, has now won four-straight individual conference championship titles, including a trio of Peach Belt Conference medalist honors, and bested the 115-man field by 19 seconds. Ean Ormsby placed 10^th with a time of 26:09.4, and Delsin Burkhart captured 13^th-place. Hunter Levy ran a personal-best time of 26:27.2 for 15^thplace, and Jack Phieffer (26:27.5) rounded out the scoring in 16^th place.
 
Lucas Nervo and James Wainaina each logged personal-best times and finished in 23^rd and 33^rd place, respectively. Alec Valle (37^th) completed the race in 27:25.7, and Bryan Viera ran a personal-best time for 45^thplace. Kevin Vazquez placed 69^th and Gabe Blackwelder finished in 94^th place. 
 
On the women's side, Kosgei picked up her first individual title, as well as the program's first conference championship title since Livia Mahaffie claimed the honors at the PBC Championships in 2012. Kathryn Anderson established a new personal best with a time of 23:09.3 on the way to 3^rd place, and Valary Samoei finished 4^th with a time of 23:17.1. Erman Jepleting logged a 28^th place finish, and Sam Badami rounded out the scoring with a 29^th-place finish. 
 
Corey Pethers and Chloe Phillips each recorded new personal-best times and finished in 42^nd and 56^th place, respectively. Brookelyn Johnson made her 6K debut and placed 76^th, while Alycia Richardson also made her 6K debut in 81^st place. 
 
Chepkesir was named the Conference Carolinas Male Runner of the Year, and Kosgei was tabbed as Female Runner of the Year as well as Freshman of the Year. Chepkesir, Ormsby, Burkhart, Levy and Pheiffer each picked up All-Conference Carolinas honors on the men's side. Kosgei, Anderson, Samoei were each decorated as All-Conference Carolinas runners on the women's side. 
 
The Braves will take nearly a two-week break from competition before returning to action on November 6 for the NCAA Southeast Region Championships. The meet will be held at Milliken Research Park in Spartanburg, S.C. 


 

CONFERENCE CAROLINAS CHAMPIONSHIPS (OCTOBER 23)
WOMEN'S 6K		MEN'S 8K
Winner: Jackline Kosgei, UNC Pembroke (22:45.7)		Winner: Joshua Chepkesir, UNC Pembroke (24:13.2)
1	! Jackline Kosgei, 22:45.7	1	Joshua Chepkesir, 24:13.2
3	! Kathryn Anderson, 23:09.3	10	Ean Ormsby, 26:09.4
4	Valary Samoei, 23:17.1	13	Delsin Burkhart, 26:25.4
28	Erman Jepleting, 25:16.1	15	! Hunter Levy, 26:27.2
29	Sam Badami, 25:17.0	16	Jack Phieffer, 26:27.5
42	! Corey Pethers, 26:07.1	23	! Lucas Nervo, 26:41.8
56	! Chloe Phillips, 26:50.5	33	! James Wainaina, 27:17.9
76	! Brookelyn Johnson, 29:48.1	37	Alec Valle, 27:25.7
81	! Alycia Richardson, 30:50.0	45	! Bryan Viera, 27:46.9
		69	! Kevin Vazquez, 28:45.0
		94	! Gabe Blackwelder, 30:10.3
! = Personal Best