Florida Trio Earns SEC Cross Country Weekly Honors
Tuesday, October 13, 2026 | Cross Country
Kelvin Cheruiyot (Men’s Runner), Judy Chepkoech (Women’s Runner) and Maggie McCormick (Women’s Freshman) earn the honors following their performance at the Nuttycombe Invitational.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Three members of the Florida Gators Cross Country Team, Sophomore Kelvin Cheruiyot, Junior Judy Chepkoech, and Freshman Maggie McCormick, were named SEC Cross Country Athletes of the Week following their performance at the Nuttycombe Invitational, the conference announced Tuesday afternoon.
Cheruiyot was named the SEC Men's Runner of the Week, Chepkoech, the Women's Runner of the Week, and McCormick, the Women's Freshman of the Week.
Cheruiyot crossed the line first for the Gators and sixth overall with a time of 22:39.6 at the Nuttycombe Invitational. Cheruiyot's placing helped power the Gators to a fifth place finish with 221 points, topping 15 ranked teams on the weekend. After crossing the 2K checkpoint at 26th, Cheruiyot would continue to climb, making his big move between 4K and 6K as he climbed to eighth before passing two others to finish sixth. In a race that featured five other SEC teams, Cheruiyot was the first runner from the SEC to cross the line. This is Cheruiyot's second SEC weekly honor this year.
Chepkoech recorded a time of 19:19.5 to claim the individual championship and helped power the Gators to a second place team finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational, topping 14 ranked teams, including the No. 3, 4, 5 and 8 teams in the country. Chepkoech was consistently in the top pack, crossing the 2K checkpoint in sixth and made her move near the finish line, surging past Iowa State's Betty Kipkore to win by 0.1 second.
Chepkoech's time is the second fastest time ever at the Nuttycombe Invitational 6K, behind former Gator Parker Valby's 2013 time of 19:17. Chepkoech was just named the USTFCCCA Women's DI National Athlete of the Week on Monday, and is Chepkoech's second SEC weekly award honor this year.
Florida's Maggie McCormick crossed the line fourth for the Gators and 40th overall in the race with a time of 20:11.7 and helped the Gators secure a team finish of second at the Nuttycombe Invitational. The freshman from Brightwaters, N.Y., climbed 19 spots to 40th after crossing the 2K checkpoint at 59th. This is McCormick's first SEC weekly award honor in her collegiate career.
The Gators are back in action when they head to Columbia, Mo. for the SEC Championships on Oct. 30.
Cheruiyot was named the SEC Men's Runner of the Week, Chepkoech, the Women's Runner of the Week, and McCormick, the Women's Freshman of the Week.
Cheruiyot crossed the line first for the Gators and sixth overall with a time of 22:39.6 at the Nuttycombe Invitational. Cheruiyot's placing helped power the Gators to a fifth place finish with 221 points, topping 15 ranked teams on the weekend. After crossing the 2K checkpoint at 26th, Cheruiyot would continue to climb, making his big move between 4K and 6K as he climbed to eighth before passing two others to finish sixth. In a race that featured five other SEC teams, Cheruiyot was the first runner from the SEC to cross the line. This is Cheruiyot's second SEC weekly honor this year.
Chepkoech recorded a time of 19:19.5 to claim the individual championship and helped power the Gators to a second place team finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational, topping 14 ranked teams, including the No. 3, 4, 5 and 8 teams in the country. Chepkoech was consistently in the top pack, crossing the 2K checkpoint in sixth and made her move near the finish line, surging past Iowa State's Betty Kipkore to win by 0.1 second.
Chepkoech's time is the second fastest time ever at the Nuttycombe Invitational 6K, behind former Gator Parker Valby's 2013 time of 19:17. Chepkoech was just named the USTFCCCA Women's DI National Athlete of the Week on Monday, and is Chepkoech's second SEC weekly award honor this year.
Florida's Maggie McCormick crossed the line fourth for the Gators and 40th overall in the race with a time of 20:11.7 and helped the Gators secure a team finish of second at the Nuttycombe Invitational. The freshman from Brightwaters, N.Y., climbed 19 spots to 40th after crossing the 2K checkpoint at 59th. This is McCormick's first SEC weekly award honor in her collegiate career.
The Gators are back in action when they head to Columbia, Mo. for the SEC Championships on Oct. 30.
Players Mentioned
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