Powerful individual performances on national, regional and conference cross country stages throughout the 2025 season resulted in Lone Star Conference recognition for athletes Naomi Addo and Ian Rono and coach Zach Daniel as voted by the league's head coaches.
 
Competing for West Texas A&M, Addo (Accra, Ghana) was named the 2025 LSC Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year. The sophomore finished runner-up at the LSC Championships posting a 21:04.8 time in the 6K race for all-conference honors. Addo went on to place sixth at the NCAA Division II South Central Regional (20:55.3) and was the first LSC runner to cross the finish line. She closed the 2025 season placing 28th at the Division II Championship posting the all-time seventh-best time by an LSC runner at the national meet (20:54.8). Addo earned USTFCCCA All-America and All-South Central Region honors.
 
Running with Texas A&M International, Rono (Eldoret, Kenya) was named the 2025 LSC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year. A first-year athlete, Rono won the LSC men’s cross country individual title covering the 8K course in 23:31.5, the second fastest winning time in LSC history. He is the first TAMIU athlete to win the conference race. At the NCAA Division II South Central Regional, Rono was the first LSC runner to finish, placing fourth in the 10K race (30:13.8). Rono finished 11th at the Division II Championship (30:02.8) earning distinction as the first freshman finisher. In addition to LSC All-Conference honors, Rono was named USTFCCCA All-America and All-South Central Region.
 
In his fourth year as West Texas A&M cross country head coach, Daniel was voted both the LSC Men's and the LSC Women's Coach of the Year. It is the fourth men’s and third women’s LSC coaching award for Daniel who led both WT teams to their respective conference championships in 2025. The Lady Buffs finished fifth at the Division II South Central Regional and ninth at the NCAA Division II Championship. On the men's side, WT finished fifth at the South Central Regional and 14th at the NCAA Division II Championships.
 
Addo joins Chama El-Hadiri of Eastern New Mexico and Alexia Callahan of UT Dallas as 2025 LSC women’s cross country award winners. The top freshman finisher at the LSC Championships and an All-LSC honoree, El-Hadiri (Marrakech, Morocco) was named LSC Freshman of the Year (13th, 22:22.2). The highest finishing newcomer at the conference championship, Callahan (McKinney, Texas) claimed LSC Newcomer of the Year honors (40th, 23:36.9).
 
Grayson Williams of UT Tyler and Tommaso Toppi of West Texas A&M are joined by Rono as 2025 LSC men’s cross country honorees. The top freshman finisher at the LSC Championships and All-LSC honoree, Williams (Moody, Texas) was named LSC Freshman of the Year (10th, 25:23.0). The highest finishing newcomer at the conference championship, Toppi (Passo Corese, Italy) earned LSC Newcomer of the Year honors (4th, 24:58.7).
  
2025 Lone Star Cross Country Awards
 
Women
Runner of the Year: Naomi Addo, West Texas A&M
Freshman of the Year: Chama El-Hadiri, Eastern New Mexico
Newcomer of the Year: Alexia Callahan, UT Dallas
Coach of the Year: Zach Daniel, West Texas A&M
 
Men
Runner of the Year: Ian Rono, Texas A&M International
Freshman of the Year: Grayson Williams, UT Tyler
Newcomer of the Year: Tommaso Toppi, West Texas A&M
Coach of the Year: Zach Daniel, West Texas A&M
  
All-Conference Honors
 
Women
Sarah Koomson, West Texas A&M
Naomi Addo, West Texas A&M
Abigail Abugire, West Texas A&M
Julie Lafare, West Texas A&M
Megan Williamson, DBU
Kailynn Denney, UT Tyler
Brooke Latham, Oklahoma Christian
Macy Cogburn, UT Tyler
Ella Pando, Midwestern State
Jadyn Dangerfield, Midwestern State
Finley Hunting, UT Tyler
Olivia Weider, Lubbock Christian
Chama El-Hadiri, Eastern New Mexico
Ivanova Yanes, Texas A&M-Kingsville
Fancy Jelagat, Texas A&M International
 
Men
Ian Rono, Texas A&M International
Adrian Legarreta, West Texas A&M
Matthys Bourse, West Texas A&M
Tommaso Toppi, West Texas A&M
Berry Cox, West Texas A&M
Finlan Kavanagh, West Texas A&M
Tegan Arega, Oklahoma Christian
David Soto, UT Tyler
Arlo Gonzales, St. Edward's
Grayson Williams, UT Tyler
Victor Ramos-Sambrade, Cameron
Alexander Bozhilov, UT Dallas
Hudson Joseph, DBU
C.J. Hobbs, DBU
Isaac Pendley, DBU