Fayetteville State Runner Becomes First All-American in Program History

Franklin Kipchirchir crossed the line in 35th place at the NCAA Division II National Championships on Saturday. He earned All-American honors, making him the first runner from Fayetteville State University to achieve this before.

The sophomore clocked 30:37.4 in the men's 10K race at the Wayne E. Dannehl National Cross Country Course in Kenosha, Wisconsin. His pace was a swift 4:56 per mile. This season saw three Broncos runners make it to nationals.

Brian Kiprop ran the men's 10K, too. He finished 66th in 31:11.1. He held a 5:01 per mile pace through the race. Faith Kiplimo raced the women's 6K. She placed 82nd, stopping the clock at 21:38.7.

Head Coach Dr. Inez Turner had words of praise. "Faith, Franklin, and Brian have worked tirelessly all season, and their results speak volumes about their dedication," Turner said, per the Fayetteville State University Athletics. "To have three runners compete at the national level—and for Franklin to earn All-American status—is a tremendous achievement for Fayetteville State. This is a proud moment for our program and a sign of even greater things to come."

Three qualifiers broke new ground. Before this year, Fayetteville State had sent zero runners to the national championships.

Kipchirchir, a sophomore who runs distance races, stands 5 feet 7 inches. Kiprop is also a sophomore and stands at 6 feet tall. Kiplimo stands 5 feet 7 inches.

Wisconsin hosted the championships. Runners from schools across the country showed up at the course, chasing individual and team titles in Division II.