As expected, the men's race quickly became a head-to-head battle between Orgeon's Galen Rupp, last year's runner-up, and Liberty's Samuel Chelanga. Chelanga bolted to an early lead, passing the first mile in 4:21. Rupp was about eight seconds back, with the rest of the pack another three seconds behind.
"You know he’s been doing that all year," Rupp said of Chelanga's early front running. "So, it wasn't completely unexpected. I think going in, we knew it was a real possibility that he might do that."
Rupp remained patient, and was three seconds back at 3 km, and was just one second back by 5 km (14:28).
The pair ran together for the rest of the race, and going into the last 400m, Chelanga looked to be the stronger of the two. Digging deep, Rupp outsprinted the Kenyan for the win, opening a surprising five-second margin and leading his Oregon squad to their second consecutive team title.
"I knew I was going to have to run smart and stay focused on what was going to me the best plan to be successful," Rupp concluded. "It was something I was prepared for and kept chipping away."
Sadly, Oklahoma State freshman German Fernandez injured his ankle during the race and had to be carried off the course.
The drama wasn't as intense on the women's side. Two-time champion Sally Kipyego of Texas Tech jumped out to an early lead over her primary challenger, Florida State's Susan Kuijken, but the two were about even through 3 km (6:13). But Kipyego, a Kenyan who studies nursing, started to open a gap in the middle of the race and had a three second lead by 4 km. Kuijken, a Dutchwoman, was able to keep Kipyego within sight, but simply couldn't catch her, giving way about seven seconds by the finish.
"It was hard," said Kipyego. "It was cold and windy and the girls that were running next to me were running hard out there. It was probably the hardest NCAA cross-country race of all the three. I am just happy to get through and win."
Kuijken, a junior, took some consolation that she had moved up from third place last year, and with one year of NCAA eligibility remaining, could aspire to the top step of the podium next year.
"I had mixed feelings about the race," said Kuijken. "I was disappointed that I didn't win and especially because I was close and stayed with her for some time. But, on the other hand, it is a bigger improvement on what I did last year. Last year, third, this year, second, maybe I’ll be one next year."
As expected, the University of Washington easily won the women's team title with just 79 points, their first title at these championships. Their top runner, freshman Christine Babcock, only finished seventh, but the Lady Huskies placed three women in the top-25. Moreover, the future looks bright for coach Greg Metcalf's team; two freshman (Babcock and Kendra Schaaf) and one sophomore (Marie Lawrence) were their top three scorers.
Stanford, which had won the women's title the last three years, finished eighth.
Teams (score five best runners): 1. Oregon, 93 points; 2. Iona, 147; 3. Stanford, 227; 4. Wisconsin, 229; 5. Auburn, 264; 6. Northern Arizona, 281; 7. Portland, 293; 8. Oklahoma State, 205; 9. BYU, 310; 10. Georgetown, 319... [31 teams total].
1. Galen Rupp, SR, Oregon, 29:03.2
(3 km, 8:29; 5 km, 14:29; 8 km, 23:17)
2. Samuel Chelanga, SO, Liberty (KEN), 29:08.0
(8:26, 14:28, 23:17)
3. Andrew Ledwith, SR, Iona, 29:25.4
4. David Kinsella, SR, Portland, 29:26.5
5. Luke Puskedra, FR, Oregon, 29:27.8
6. Mohamed Khadraoui, SR, Iona, 29:29.3
7. Chris Derrick, FR, Stanford, 29:29.4
8. John Kosgei, JR, Oklahoma State (KEN), 29:32.4
9. Shadrack Kiptoo-Biwott, SR, Oregon (KEN), 29:43.4
10. Kyle Perry, SR, BYU, 29:46.1
11. Patrick Smyth, SR, Notre Dame, 29:47.2
12. Mark Steeds, JR, Georgia State, 29:49.2
13. Andrew Bumbalough, JR, Georgetown, 29:51.7
14. Jordan Kyle, JR, Colorado, 29:52.4
15. David McNeill, JR, Northern Arizona, 29:53.0
16. Girma Mesecho, FR, Auburn (ETH) 29:53.8
17. Chris Rombough, SR, Minnesota, 29:54.4
18. Alfred Kipchumba, SO, Portland (KEN), 29:54.8
19. David McCarthy, SO, Providence, 29:55.1
20. Jeremy Criscione, SR, Florida, 29:55.9
21. Ryan Vail, SR, Oklahoma State, 29:58.4
22. Shadrack Songok, SR, Texas A&M, 29:58.9
23. Elkanah Kibet, JR, Auburn (KEN), 29:59.5
24. Landon Peacock, SO, Wisconsin, 30:00.0
25. Jeff Schirmer, JR, So. Illinois, 30:00.8
26. Emil Heineking, SO, Virginia, 30:02.0
27. Japheth Ng'ojoy, SR, UTEP (KEN), 30:03.3
28. Felix Kibioywo, JR, Auburn (KEN), 30:04.7
29. John Beattie, JR, Tulsa, 30:05.0
30. Nicodemus Ng'etich, JR, UTEP (KEN), 30:06.2
31. Hassan Mead, SO, Minnesota, 30:06.2
32. Scott MacPherson, JR, Arkansas, 30:06.8
33. Garrett Heath, SR, Stanford, 30:08.3
34. Stuart Eagon, SR, Wisconsin, 30:08.6
35. Levi Miller, JR, Georgetown, 30:09.0
36. Yosef Ghebray, SR, California, 30:09.4
37. Samuel Kosgei, SR, Lamar (KEN), 30:10.2
38. Guor Marial, JR, Iowa State, 30:12.3
39. Matt Withrow, SR, Wisconsin, 30:12.8
40. Andy Baker, SR, Butler, 30:13.7
41. Ryan Sheridan, SO, Iona, 30:14.8
42. Daniel Chenoweth, SO, Harvard, 30:14.8
43. Jesse Luciano, JR, Iowa, 30:17.8
44. Morten Bostrom, SR, Northern Arizona, 30:20.1
45. Matt Centrowitz, SO, Oregon, 30:21.3
46. Harbert Okuti, SR, Iona, 30:23.8
47. Bobby Mack, SR, N.C. State, 30:24.4
48. Emmanuel Bor, JR, Alabama (KEN), 30:25.0
49. John Martinez, JR, N.C. State, 30:25.6
50. Kiel Uhl, SR, Iowa State, 30:27.5
Teams (score five best runners): 1. Washington, 79 points; 2. Oregon, 131; 3. Florida State, 163; 4. West Virginia, 198; 5. Princeton, 220; 6. Villanova, 248; 7. Texas Tech, 272; 8. Stanford, 299; 9. Georgetown, 305; 10. Illinois, 318... [31 teams total].
1. Sally Kipyego, SR, Texas Tech (KEN), 19:28.1
(2 km, 6:13; 4 km, 12:43)
2. Susan Kuijken, JR, Florida State (NED), 19:34.9
(6:13, 12:46)
3. Tasmin Fanning, SR, Virginia Tech, 19:37.1
4. Brianna Felnagle, SR, North Carolina, 19:53.3
5. Racheal Marchand, SR, Iowa, 19:54.9
6. Angela Bizzarri, JR, Illinois, 19:59.1
7. Christine Babcock, FR, Washington, 20:01.7
8. Alex Kosinski, SO, Oregon, 20:04.2
9. Nicole Bush, SR, Michigan State, 20:07.6
10. Nicole Blood, JR, Oregon, 20:08.6
11. Hollie Knight, SO, Auburn, 20:12.7
12. Kendra Schaaf, FR, Washington (CAN), 20:17.3
13. Janet Jesang, JR, Western Kentucky (UGA), 20:18.3
14. Keri Bland, JR, West Virginia, 20:19.9
15. Liz Costello, JR, Princeton, 20:23.9
16. Veronica Pohl, JR, Northern Arizona, 20:24.3
17. Marie-Louise Asselin, JR, West Virginia, 20:26.1
18. Lillian Badaru, JR, Texas Tech, 20:27.3
19. Gwen Jorgensen, SR, Wisconsin, 20:27.7
20. Frances Koons, SR, Villanova, 20:29.4
21. Andrea Walkonen, SR, Boston U., 20:29.4
22. Katie Engel, SR, Illinois, 20:30.1
23. Bridget Franek, JR, Penn State, 20:31.5
24. Nicole Edwards, SR, Michigan, 20:31.9
25. Marie Lawrence, SO, Washington, 20:32.3
26. Katie Follett, JR, Washington, 20:32.5
27. Lisa Senakiewich, SR, Michigan State, 20:33.4
28. Wendi Robinson, JR, Indiana, 20:34.1
29. Pilar McShine, SO, Florida State, 20:34.5
30. Lauren Holesh, JR, North Carolina, 20:35.4
31. Danette Doetzel, SR, Providence (CAN), 20:36.3
32. Megan Duwell, JR, Minnesota, 20:36.5
33. Elizabeth Maloy, SR, Georgetown, 20:36.8
34. Amanda Miller, SR, Washington, 20:37.0
35. Amanda Marino, SO, Villanova, 20:37.3
36. Sarah Bowman, SR, Tennessee, 20:39.5
37. Erin Bedell, JR, Baylor, 20:39.6
38. Lesley Van Miert, SR, Florida State, 20:41.7
39. Kari Hardt, JR, Arizona State, 20:42.1
40. Mattie Bridgmon, SR, Oregon, 20:43.6
41. Lauren Saylor, SO, Washington, 20:43.7
42. Clara Grandt, JR, West Virginia, 20:44.2
43. Astrid Leutert, SO, Northern Arizona, 20:44.6
44. Hanna Grinaker, JR, Wisconsin, 20:44.8
45. Lara Crofford, SO, Nebraska, 20:45.4
46. Christina Munoz, JR, Texas A&M, 20:45.9
47. Ali Kielty, JR, Arizona State, 20:46.1
48. Lindsey Scherf, SR, Oregon, 20:46.3
49. Gabriele Anderson, SR, Minnesota, 20:48.4
50. Silje Fjortoft, SO, SMU, 20:50.4