Texas Tech’s Kennedy Kithuka Finishes First at NCAA Cross Country Championships

A Texas Tech junior has finished first at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.

Kennedy Kithuka took the NCAA Cross Country Crown Saturday afternoon, and broke the course record at E.P. Tom Sawyer Park in Louisville, Kentucky, finishing first overall with a time of 28:31.3 in the 10,000-meter race.

Kithuka became Tech’s first male NCAA Cross Country champion in school history, after becoming the first men’s Big 12 Champion in school history earlier in the year.

“Kennedy ran a perfect race,” said Tech head cross country coach Jon Murray. “There was a race plan and he executed it to perfection. He put the surges in at the right time and opened the race just past the halfway point. The rest of the race was just a continued effort and keeping the tempo up.”

This race marked the first time Kithuka took the national championship at the Division I level. He has taken 10 in track and field and cross country at the NAIA level before transferring to Tech.