RICHMOND, Va. (October 22, 2026) — The Virginia Union University men's cross country team placed five runners in the top 10 to earn a runner-up finish at the CIAA Cross Country Championship on Thursday, October 22, with 32 points.

Sophomore Abel Kipkemboi and freshman Allan Kipkorir led the Panthers with second- and third-place finishes, respectively, in the men's 8,000-meter race, giving Virginia Union two of the three podium positions.

Kipkemboi challenged for the individual championship, finishing in a season-best 24:07.0, just 7.4 seconds behind Fayetteville State's Franklin Kipchirchir, who claimed the individual title.

Kipkorir crossed the finish line in 24:41.3 to secure third place overall, earning recognition as the highest-placing freshman in the race.

Virginia Union continued its strong showing with three additional top-10 finishes. Sophomore Keon Koonce recorded a personal-best time of 26:18.8 to place eighth, while freshman Marcus Merritt II finished ninth in 26:30.5.  Sophomore Rodger Korir rounded out the Panthers' scoring five with a 10th-place finish in 26:49.2.

All five scoring runners finished under 27 minutes, combining for a team time of 2:08:26.8 and an average time of 25:41.4.

Freshman Bradford Jeoboham finished 23rd overall in 29:58.5, giving Virginia Union six runners who completed the championship race in under 30 minutes.

With all five scoring runners classified as freshmen or sophomores, the Panthers' second-place finish showcased the team's emerging talent and promising future. Virginia Union finished with two podium performances, five top-10 finishes and a personal-best performance from Koonce.

"The goal was number one," said Virginia Union Head Cross Country Coach Franck Charles. "Coming into the season, I honestly didn't know what our men's cross country team would look like. I just kept the faith that we would find a way to put a great team together, compete with whoever we faced, and give ourselves a chance to achieve something special. And that's exactly what we did!

"We came up just short of our ultimate goal, but I truly believe we witnessed one of the best CIAA Cross Country Championship battles in a long time. Our boys fought with everything they had, and I couldn't be prouder of them.

"From the beginning of the season to the championship, these young men showed heart, determination, and resilience. They believed in the vision, trusted the process, and gave everything they had. We may have fallen short of the top spot, but we are building something special at Virginia Union University!"

The runner-up finish capped a strong championship performance for a young Virginia Union squad that demonstrated its ability to compete among the CIAA's best while establishing a foundation for continued success.