Friday, October 30
Columbia, Mo.
W: 11:08 a.m. | M: 11:45 a.m.
Florida Gators
vs
SEC Championships
Kelvin Cheruiyot (Bib No. 300) and the Gators Men's Cross Country Team at the SEC Championships
Friday, October 30, 2026 | Cross Country
Kelvin Cheruiyot won his second straight SEC Individual Title with a course record time of 22:03.1 and helped power the men to their highest SEC finish since 2013
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Sophomore Kelvin Cheruiyot headlined Florida's performance at the SEC Championship on Friday morning as he captured his second straight individual title, as the Gators Women's Cross Country team finished second and the Men's Cross Country team finished third.
Cheruiyot's time of 22:03.1 set a new course record at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course as he becomes the first Gator on the Men's Cross Country to win back-to-back individual titles at the SEC Championship.
WOMEN
On the women's side, the No. 4 Gators finished with 80 points for second place and were led by Judy Chepkoech and Claire Stegall, as Chepkoech finished fourth overall with a time of 19:00.7 while climbing 24 spots after crossing 1k in 28th. Stegall would finish two seconds later in sixth, with a time of 19:02.4, while climbing 17 spots after crossing the 1k checkpoint at 23rd.
Desma Chepkoech crossed the line next for the Gators, finishing at 16th with time of 19:21.3 as Maggie McCormick rounded out the Gators scoring five as she 23rd, with a time of 19:50.4. McCormick was the third freshman in the field to cross the finish line.
MEN
Kelvin Cheruiyot led the No. 6 Gators to a third place finish with 82 points, the Men's highest finish since the 2013 SEC Championships in Gainesville, where they finished second. Cheruiyot's time of 22:03.1 set a new course record and gave him the SEC individual title for the second year in a row. Eliud Muchiri would cross the line next for the Gators at 11th overall, with a time of 22:40.5, being the fourth freshman to cross the line and climbing 15 places during the race after crossing the 1k checkpoint in 26th.
The Gators scoring five would be rounded out by Josh Ruiz, Geofrey Ronoh and Oussama Allaoui. Ruiz crossed the line in 22nd with a time 23:04.8 and climbed 18 spots from 40th at the 1k checkpoint, Ronoh finished with a time of 23:11.2 for 23rd, and Allaoui finished 25th with a time of 23:13.1.
UP NEXT
Florida will continue the postseason on Nov. 13 when they run in the NCAA Cross Country South Regional Championship in Tallahassee, Fla.
RESULTS
Cheruiyot's time of 22:03.1 set a new course record at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course as he becomes the first Gator on the Men's Cross Country to win back-to-back individual titles at the SEC Championship.
WOMEN
On the women's side, the No. 4 Gators finished with 80 points for second place and were led by Judy Chepkoech and Claire Stegall, as Chepkoech finished fourth overall with a time of 19:00.7 while climbing 24 spots after crossing 1k in 28th. Stegall would finish two seconds later in sixth, with a time of 19:02.4, while climbing 17 spots after crossing the 1k checkpoint at 23rd.
Desma Chepkoech crossed the line next for the Gators, finishing at 16th with time of 19:21.3 as Maggie McCormick rounded out the Gators scoring five as she 23rd, with a time of 19:50.4. McCormick was the third freshman in the field to cross the finish line.
MEN
Kelvin Cheruiyot led the No. 6 Gators to a third place finish with 82 points, the Men's highest finish since the 2013 SEC Championships in Gainesville, where they finished second. Cheruiyot's time of 22:03.1 set a new course record and gave him the SEC individual title for the second year in a row. Eliud Muchiri would cross the line next for the Gators at 11th overall, with a time of 22:40.5, being the fourth freshman to cross the line and climbing 15 places during the race after crossing the 1k checkpoint in 26th.
The Gators scoring five would be rounded out by Josh Ruiz, Geofrey Ronoh and Oussama Allaoui. Ruiz crossed the line in 22nd with a time 23:04.8 and climbed 18 spots from 40th at the 1k checkpoint, Ronoh finished with a time of 23:11.2 for 23rd, and Allaoui finished 25th with a time of 23:13.1.
UP NEXT
Florida will continue the postseason on Nov. 13 when they run in the NCAA Cross Country South Regional Championship in Tallahassee, Fla.
RESULTS
| WOMEN (2nd - 80 Points) | MEN (3rd - 82 Points | ||||
| Place | Name | Time | Place | Name | Time |
| 4 (4) | Judy Chepkoech | 19:00.7 | 1 (1) | Kelvin Cheruiyot | 22:03.1 |
| 6 (6) | Claire Stegall | 19:02.4 | 11 (11) | Eliud Muchiri | 22:40.5 |
| 16 (16) | Desma Chepkoech | 19:21.3 | 22 (22) | Josh Ruiz | 23:04.8 |
| 23 (23) | Maggie McCormick | 19:50.4 | 23 (23) | Geofrey Ronoh | 23:11.2 |
| 31 (31) | Isobelle Jones | 20:00.6 | 25 (25) | Oussama Allaoui | 23:13.1 |
| 36 (36) | Caroline Jepchirchir | 20:10.3 | 30 (30) | Jonathan Leon | 23:20.4 |
| 40 (40) | Reagan Gilmore | 20:14.9 | |||
| 73 | Keeghan Edwards | 20:51.5 | |||
| 75 | Mary Nesmith | 20:55.9 | |||
| 91 | Ashley Fitzgerald | 21:10.7 | |||
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
Wednesday, April 22
Wednesday, April 22
Saturday, December 06
Saturday, November 29
