STILLWATER, Okla. - Southland Conference cross country champion and sophomore
Irene Rono placed 110th of 256 competitors Monday at the NCAA Championships hosted by Oklahoma State, competing the grueling 6K course in 21:33.3. The race was conducted under sunny skies with an afternoon high of 62 degrees.
"Irene had a great effort today and more importantly, gained value big race experience," said ACU cross country coach
Jarvis Jelen. "She is poised to do some great things this outdoor track season and in the future."
The past few months for Rono have been nothing short of exceptional. She started the new year with an indoor 3K win at Texas Tech (9:55.30) and less than two weeks later won the individual title at the UIW Winter XC Invitational in 20:33.1 (6K). She then garnered three medals between the Southland Conference's XC and indoor track and field championships. Rono won the conference XC crown in 20:36.6 (6K) to earn the league's AQ bid to NCAAs, and the following week she won gold (3K) and bronze (5K) at the Birmingham CrossPlex, helping ACU's women's team win its first ever Southland Conference Team Championship with 107 points.
The ACU women additionally were a close second at XC conference, finishing three points behind the champions from Central Arkansas, 86-89.
BYU won the NCAA women's team title today with 96 points, while individual first-place honors went to Alabama junior Mercy Chelangat (20:01.1).
Next up for Rono is the start of outdoor season, which commences this weekend at ACU's Elmer Gray Stadium, proud host of the Wes Kittley Invitational (March 18-20).
