The Lone Star Conference announced the league’s annual cross country all-conference honors on Monday, recognizing 31 student-athletes and two head coaches.
The announcement of the all-conference awards comes following the 2020 LSC Cross Country Championships where West Texas A&M claimed its eighth straight men’s cross country title and DBU earned its first women’s championship.
All-conference distinction is given to runners who finish among the top 15 individually at the conference meet. Additional awards are presented for Newcomer, Freshman and Coach of the Year on both the men’s and women’s sides. The Coach of the Year award is given to one head coach for each gender based on a vote of the league’s cross country head coaches.
WT swept the Newcomer of the Year awards with Florance Uwajeneza earning women’s acclaim and Innocent Murwanashyaka picking up the men’s honor. The Lady Buffs Uwajeneza earned the individual medal at the conference meet with a time of 20:50.60, while the Buffs Murwanashyaka recorded a second-place finish.
The LSC Freshman of the Year honor went to Nicodemus Rotich on the men’s side after the Eldoret, Kenya native picked up the individual title with a time of 24:51.00. St. Edward’s rookie Ellie Hovre earned the freshman of the year award on the women’s side with her 23rd place finish at the championships which helped lead the Hilltoppers to a third-place team finish.
WT’s Jake Krolick earned the LSC Men’s Coach of the Year award for the fourth consecutive season after leading the Buffs to their eighth title in a row. DBU’s Jacob Phillips picked up his first LSC Women’s Coach of the Year honor after leading the Lady Patriots to their first conference title in the LSC with the lowest point total since 1996.
2020 LSC CROSS COUNTRY ALL-CONFERENCE AWARDS
MEN’S ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
| Place |
Runner |
Team |
Year |
Hometown |
| 1 |
Nicodemus Rotich |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
Fr. |
Eldoret, Kenya |
| 2 |
Innocent Murwanashyaka |
West Texas A&M |
Jr. |
St. Paul, Minn. |
| 3 |
Butare Rugenerwa |
West Texas A&M |
Jr. |
Amarillo, Texas |
| 4 |
Arnaud Taki |
West Texas A&M |
Sr. |
Lyon, France |
| 5 |
Colten Brown |
Oklahoma Christian |
So. |
Boise City, Okla. |
| 6 |
Daniel Beam |
Western New Mexico |
So. |
Rio Rancho, N.M. |
| 7 |
Colton Meyers |
Oklahoma Christian |
Sr. |
Allen, Texas |
| 8 |
Michael Anzures |
Western New Mexico |
Sr. |
Seboyeta, N.M. |
| 9 |
Harry Louradour |
West Texas A&M |
Fr. |
Le Vigen, France |
| 10 |
Eduardo Gutierrez |
Cameron |
Sr. |
Hondo, Texas |
| 11 |
Nicholas Martinez |
Texas A&M International |
Jr. |
Laredo, Texas |
| 12 |
Angel Contreras |
UT Tyler |
Fr. |
El Paso, Texas |
| 13 |
Briggs Wittlake |
West Texas A&M |
Sr. |
Amarillo, Texas |
| 14 |
Noah Metzger |
DBU |
Sr. |
McKinney, Texas |
| 15 |
Gideon Kipon |
Texas A&M International |
Fr. |
Eldama Ravine, Kenya |
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Men’s Team Champion: West Texas A&M
Men’s Newcomer of the Year: Innocent Murwanashyaka, West Texas A&M
Men’s Freshman of the Year: Nicodemus Rotich, Texas A&M-Commerce
Men’s Coach of the Year: Jake Krolick, West Texas A&M
WOMEN’S ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
| Place |
Runner |
Team |
Year |
Hometown |
| 1 |
Florance Uwajeneza |
West Texas A&M |
Jr. |
St. Paul, Minn. |
| 2 |
Madison Brown |
DBU |
So. |
Round Rock, Texas |
| 3 |
Marissa Insinna |
DBU |
Jr. |
McKinney, Texas |
| 4 |
Abril Escamilla |
Texas A&M International |
Sr. |
Laredo, Texas |
| 5 |
Leslie Filorio |
DBU |
Jr. |
Abilene, Texas |
| 6 |
Emily Mackel |
DBU |
So. |
Waxahachie, Texas |
| 7 |
Kenya Bailey |
Oklahoma Christian |
Jr. |
Ponca City, Okla. |
| 8 |
Amerhyst Aguirre |
Midwestern State |
Sr. |
Las Cruces, N.M. |
| 9 |
Jenna Thorman |
DBU |
Sr. |
Plano, Texas |
| 10 |
Faith Kiprotich |
Texas A&M International |
So. |
Kapkoi, Kenya |
| 11 |
Analynne Klotz |
DBU |
Jr. |
Cadillac, Mich. |
| 12 |
Britney Lovato |
Western New Mexico |
Jr. |
Rio Rancho, N.M. |
| 13 |
Kaitlyn Stark |
St. Edward's |
Sr. |
Rockwall, Texas |
| 14 |
Karla Resendez |
Texas A&M International |
Sr. |
Laredo, Texas |
| 15 |
Martha Brown |
DBU |
Jr. |
Plano, Texas |
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Women’s Team Champion: DBU
Women’s Newcomer of the Year: Florance Uwajeneza, West Texas A&M
Women’s Freshman of the Year: Ellie Hovre, St. Edward's
Women’s Coach of the Year: Jacob Phillips, DBU