Nov. 22, 2006

NCAA champions Josh Rohatinsky and Sally Kipyego are the Division I men's and women's cross country athletes of the year, the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced Tuesday.

Rohatinsky a senior at Brigham Young University, won Monday's national championship race at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Ind. Rohatinsky pulled away from the lead pack in the closing stages of the 10,000-meter race to win in 30 minutes, 44.9 seconds. Stanford's Neftalem Araia was second in 30:53.

Kipyego, a Texas Tech sophomore, dominated the NCAA women's individual race from start to finish. Kipyego led by 24 seconds midway through the 6,000-meter race and finished in 20: 11.1 Colorado sophomore Jenny Barringer was second in 20:37.9.

Rohatinsky won five races this fall - the BYU Autumn Classic, Bill Dellinger Invitational, Mountain West Conference, Mountain Regionals and NCAA Championships. He was named the Mountain Region men's athlete of the year.

A homegrown runner who attended Provo High School, Rohatinsky finished sixth at last year's NCAA cross country meet.

Kipyego's NCAA victory was her sixth consecutive win of the season. At the Big 12 Conference meet, she ended Colorado's seven-year hold on the conference individual title. She was named the Mountain Region's female athlete of the year and the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.

Kipyego's hometown is Markwet, Kenya. She transferred to Texas Tech this fall from South Plains College.