SACRAMENTO, California Freshman Ezra Mutai won the first-ever national championship for the American International College men's and women's cross country teams, breaking away from the pack in the final kilometer of the race to win the 10-kilometer run in a time of 29:31.2 at the Arcade Creek Cross Country Course on Saturday, November 23.

FAST FACTS:
Where:Arcade Creek Cross Country Course, Sacramento, California
Course length:Six kilometers (women); 10 kilometers (men)
Team Finishes (Men): 1. Colorado Mines (57), 2. Adams State (136), 3 Chico State (143)24. American International (533)31. Roberts Wesleyan (718), 32. Stonehill (877)
Full Results

TEAM RESULTS:
Women:
128. Katie Olding (21:55.9)

Men:
1. Ezra Mutai (29:31.2)
72. Benoit Campion (31:14.3)
122. Titus Kiptoo (31:47.7)
207. Macgregor Cox (32:46.0)
212. Gabe Medina (32:49.3)
247. Ryan LaFrance (34:06.4)
253. Sadadine Adam (34:22.6)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Participating as an individual for the women, freshman Katie Olding made a late run to move up 16 spots over the final kilometer of the race, finishing in a time of 21:55.9 in her first time at the national championship.
• From the start of the men's race, Mutai was always among the top runners in the competition; he was in the lead at the mile mark and within the top three from then on the whole distance.
• At the midpoint, he was in a dead heat with UNC Pembroke's Joshua Chepkesir, running the first five kilometers in 14:27.2.
• Missouri Southern's Gidieon Kimutai made a run at the three-quarter mark of the race, opening a six-second gap on Mutai by the 8.4 kilometer mark, and with less than 1000 meters left, held a seven-second edge before fading, as Mutai chased him down to cross the line well ahead of both of the two competitors; the closest finish to Mutai was Kale Adams of Adams State, who crossed the line 12.7 seconds later than Mutai did.
• Senior Benoit Campion pushed up a few spots over the final stretch as well, completing the course in 31:14.3 as AIC's second-fastest finisher.

A CHAMPION CROWNED:

• Mutai became the first national champion in cross country for the Yellow Jackets, giving head coach Leo Mayo at least one national title among all three seasons of cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field.
• Dominic Smith '12 won the College's first national title by winning the 2012 Indoor Track and Field National Championship in the 400-meter dash; four years later, Chandler Cotton Jr. '18, Kemani Hume '18, Leakey Kipkosgei '19, and Chad Miller '19 earned the top spot in the distance medley relay at the 2016 Indoor Track and Field National Championship; finally, Kipkosgei picked up an individual national title at the 2019 Outdoor Track and Field National Championship, winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
• Mutai also earned All-American status with the win, becoming the sixth Yellow Jacket to earn the honor; a total of 13 All-American accolades have been won by the cross country program, with at least one in each year since 2010.

NEXT UP:

• The teams will turn theirfocus to the indoor track and field season, which begins Saturday, December 7 at the Boston University Season Opener and Smith Season Opener.

STAY CONNECTED:

• For more updates about the AIC cross country team, follow@AICtrackonTwitter. For updates on all AIC Yellow Jackets teams, follow @AICAthletics on Twitter and Instagram, and likeAIC Yellow JacketsonFacebook.