205 NCAA Division II National Cross Country Results

ROME, Ga. – His game plan worked to perfection and it put him all alone in the national spotlight.

Shorter freshman Alfred Chelanga became the first-ever Hawk to win a national championship Saturday when he won – with plenty of room to spare – the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships held at Missouri Southern's Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course in Joplin, Mo.

Chelanga outdistanced the field on a sunny but cool day as the Kenyan crossed the 10-kilomater finish line in 29 minutes, 24.6 seconds, a comfortable nine seconds ahead of the race's second place finish, Missouri Southern's Vincent Kiprop who came in at 29:33.7.

"I'm so happy," Chelanga said about his accomplishment. "I did what I was supposed to do. The plan worked out well."

As he had planned when he developed his strategy this past week, Chelanga began the race in back of the pack, settling into 40^th place and passed the 2K mark just two seconds behind the group of leaders.

At the halfway mark, however, he began his move moving up to the 14^th spot and by the time he reached the 7K banner took the lead that he never relinquished. All told, he posted a 4:44 pace that topped the field.

"I have been working hard for this," said Chelanga, "and I finally got it."

The national title also provided Chelanga his second NCAA All-America honor in less than a year. Last February, he finished fourth in the Division II National Indoor Championships in the 3,000 meters to collect his first award. At that indoor championship, Ayana Walker became Shorter's first NCAA national champion when she won the 400.

Chelanga entered the national cross country championships winning the Gulf South Conference title and won the Division II South Region Championships. At the GSC run, he finished the 8K in a meet record 23:53.85 and was named the conference's Freshman of the Year, while at the regional he broke the 10K tape in 32:00.98 and was selected the USTFCCCA's South Region Athlete of the Year.

Colorado Mines won the Division II team title, snapping a three-run reign by Adams State, which finished second overall.