MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The University of Tennessee Southern cross country programs continued their dominance of the Southern States Athletic Conference weekly awards as Frankline Kipruto and Vera Maisaje were named the SSAC Men's and Women's Cross Country Runners of the Week for performances during the weekend of Oct. 24.
The honor marks yet another sweep for the Firehawks and further cements Kipruto and Maisaje as one of the premier distance-running duos in the NAIA. The pair has combined for 10 SSAC Runner of the Week awards this season, highlighted by a string of record-breaking performances, individual championships, and nationally recognized accomplishments.
Kipruto earned his seventh career SSAC Runner of the Week honor, his fifth award of the 2026 season, and his third consecutive weekly honor after another dominant performance at the Appalachian Challenge.
The sophomore from Eldoret, Kenya captured the individual championship in one of the strongest races of the season, defeating a field that featured runners from No. 1 Cumberlands, No. 6 UT Southern, and No. 8 Milligan. Kipruto crossed the finish line in 23:33.4, averaging 4:44.3 per mile over the 8K course and edging Cumberlands' Luca Madeo by four-tenths of a second.
His victory helped lead the Firehawks to a third-place finish against one of the nation's deepest NAIA fields and continued a season that has already included multiple school records and national recognition.
On the women's side, Maisaje collected her fifth consecutive SSAC Runner of the Week award, continuing one of the most impressive individual stretches in program history.
The junior from Lagos, Nigeria finished sixth overall at the Appalachian Challenge, navigating a field that featured three nationally ranked programs and some of the NAIA's top runners. Maisaje completed the 5K course in 18:22.3, averaging 5:54.8 per mile while leading the Firehawks to a fifth-place team finish.
Her latest performance adds to a remarkable campaign that has included multiple program records, individual victories, national recognition, and back-to-back record-breaking performances earlier this season.
Together, Kipruto and Maisaje have become the driving force behind one of the most successful cross country seasons in UT Southern history. With the men's program tied for No. 6 in the NAIA Coaches Poll and the women's program consistently competing against nationally ranked competition, the Firehawks continue to establish themselves among the NAIA's elite.
The Firehawks will next turn their attention to the Southern States Athletic Conference Championship on Nov. 6 in Clinton, Mississippi, where both runners will look to continue their historic seasons and lead UT Southern in the postseason.
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