The University of New Mexico swept the men's and women's NCAA Mountain Regional team titles on Friday, Nov. 13, at the UNM North Golf Course in Albuquerque, securing automatic berths for both programs to the NCAA Championships. The Lobos' performance included a program-record score from the men and a podium sweep by the women, while the No. 16 ranked Utah women's team finished fifth in the regional competition.
Lobos Secure Men's Title
The New Mexico men's team achieved its third regional championship and its first back-to-back titles by scoring 35 points, according to a report from golobos.com. The score improved upon the program's previous regional record of 37 set during the previous season. The Lobos' victory was secured by having four runners finish within the top six, including Collins Kiprotich, who finished second to lead the squad.
Men's Regional Results
The men's victory came as New Mexico edged out second-ranked Colorado, which finished with 42 points, and sixth-ranked BYU, which scored 65 points. The men's team also finished ahead of sixth-ranked Northern Arizona, which recorded 67 points. The Lobos' scoring roster included Kiprotich, Pasanjo Kitonga, Vincent Chirchir, Evans Kiplagat, and Lukas Kiprop, all of whom earned All-Region honors. Kiprotich finished with a time of 28:50.2, while Kitonga finished third with a time of 28:51.9.
Women's Regional Sweep
On the women's side, the seventh-ranked New Mexico team matched last season's winning total of 45 points to claim its eighth regional championship and fourth in the last six editions of the meet. The Lobos achieved a historic 1-2-3 finish, marking the first time in program history that the women have swept the first three individual places at a regional meet. Pamela Kosgei led the sweep with a time of 19:08.3, followed by Mercy Kirarei and Marion Jepngetich.
Women's Regional Results
The women's team finished 22 points ahead of sixth-ranked Northern Arizona, which scored 67 points, and ahead of top-ranked BYU, which finished third with 81 points. The Lobos' women's scoring roster was completed by Christina Nisoli, who finished 15th, and Faith Ngetich, who finished 24th. This performance secured the women's third consecutive appearance at the NCAA Championships.
Utah Women's Performance
The No. 16 ranked Utah women's team finished fifth in the regional competition with a total of 100 points. The team's performance included a fifth-place finish by Erin Vringer, who was one of three returning top scorers from Utah's fifth-place finish at the 2025 NCAA Mountain Regionals. Other Utah participants included Marika Couture, Josie Fale, Tayla Gunton, Rebecca O'Keefe, Annastasia Peters, Bri Rinn, Mackenzie Rogers, and Millie Wilcox.
Utah Program Context
Utah's women's team entered the meet seeking to qualify for the championships for the ninth time in program history. The team's roster for the regional included several runners making their second or third regional appearances, such as Mackenzie Rogers, Rebecca O'Keefe, and Bri Rinn. The team's previous best finish at the NCAA Mountain Regionals held in Albuquerque was a runner-up finish in 2022, achieved via a tiebreaker.
NCAA Championship Stakes
The NCAA Mountain Regionals serve as a primary qualifier for the NCAA National Championships. The top two teams from each region receive automatic bids to the 32-team field, while 14 at-large bids are selected by the NCAA DI Cross Country Subcommittee. The NCAA Championships are scheduled to take place in Terre Haute, Indiana, on Saturday, Nov. 21.
