NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Utah Valley University senior Everlyn Kemboi won the individual title at the 2022 WAC Championships and was named the WAC Women's Athlete of the Year on Saturday morning at Pecan Acres Park.
 
Kemboi, an outdoor track & field All-American in the 10k, ran the 6k in 19:33.9, just nine-tenths of a second off her personal record, to win the race by nearly 30 seconds. She becomes just the second female to win the WAC individual title for UVU and the fifth winner overall for the Wolverine men's and women's programs. As a team, the 24th-ranked Wolverines finished second behind No. 14 California Baptist, who had five of the top eight finishers.
 
"Eva went out and led from start to finish and made some good moves to distance herself," said UVU head coach Scott Houle. "I think we're still on a good path to qualify for nationals. We'll need perform well at regionals to have our at-large points work for us."

For the men, Joel Mendez and Habtamu Cheney finished sixth and seventh, respectively, as the Wolverines finished third in a tight battle for second with Southern Utah that was separated by just three points. No. 25 California Baptist also won the men's race, taking the top three spots and four of the top five.
 
"Joel had a really good race. He got out there and put his nose into it and pulled our guys through. All-in-all I think it was a good competition for us and we're looking forward to regionals in two weeks," Houle said.

The UVU women had seven runners earn All-WAC with Hannah Branch and Madison Flippence joining Kemboi on the first team. Branch took seventh with a time of 20:38.9 while Flippence was ninth, finishing the 6k in 20:40.6. It's Branch's fifth time earning All-WAC, including her fourth appearance on the first team. Flippence was on the second team last year as a member of Utah Tech's program.  
 
On the second team for Utah Valley were Maggie Zwahlen (15th, 20:59.0), freshman Ari Trimble (17th, 21:01.6), Caila Odekirk (18th, 21:06.4), and Mazzie Melaney Preston (19th, 21:06.5). Zwahlen is now a four-time All-WAC performer while Melaney Preston now has three All-WAC finishes and Odekirk notched her second all-conference honor.
 
Mendez finished the men's 8k in 23:25.3 while Cheney's time was 23:32.7 as the two Wolverine harriers were both named to the All-WAC first team. It's the second straight season that Cheney has been on the first team. Austin Hone took 11th with a time of 23:47.8 and was named to the second team, earning that distinction for the second year in a row. 
 
Adam Bunker and Max Mahon were just outside the top 20 and an all-conference spot. Bunker was 21st (24:17.8) and was named the WAC Men's Freshman of the Year while last year's freshman of the year, Mahon, was 22nd with a time of 24:18.1. Bunker, who was an outdoor All-American last spring, is the seventh UVU runner — and fourth male —  to earn the WAC Freshman of the Year. 

The NCAA Mountain Regionals will be held on Friday, Nov. 11 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 
 
2022 WAC Women's Cross Country 6K Team Results
 

Rank	Team	Points
1.	California Baptist	24
2.	Utah Valley	49
3.	NM State	86
4.	Southern Utah	93
5.	Grand Canyon	147
6.	Abilene Christian	167
7.	Stephen F. Austin	215
8.	Seattle U	227
9.	Utah Tech	267
10.	UT Arlington	291
11.	UTRGV	312
12.	Tarleton	331
13.	Sam Houston	345

 
2022 WAC Women's Athlete of the Year: Everlyn Kemboi, Utah Valley
2022 WAC Women's Freshman of the Year: Maelle Porcher, California Baptist
2022 WAC Women's Coach of the Year: Adam Tribble, California Baptist
 
2022 Women's All-WAC First Team
1.   Everlyn Kemboi, Utah Valley – 19:33.90
2.   Yasna Petrova, California Baptist – 20:03.50 
3.   Greta Karinauskaite, California Baptist – 20:13.20
4.   Irene Rono, Abilene Christian – 20:20.20 
5.   Carlota Rodes, California Baptist – 20:26.60 
6.   Maelle Porcher, California Baptist – 20:33.60
7.   Hannah Branch, Utah Valley – 20:38.90 
8.   Anna Mate, California Baptist – 20:39.60
9.   Madison Flippence, Utah Valley – 20:40.60
10. Emily Stutesman, NM State – 20:42.40
 
2022 Women's All-WAC Second Team
11. Madison DeBos, Southern Utah – 20:44.50
12. Thobile Amon, NM State – 20:49.30
13. Maja Dzialoszewska, California Baptist – 20:51.60 
14. Haley Tanne, Southern Utah – 20:52.30
15. Maggie Zwahlen, Utah Valley – 20:59.00
16. Thulisile Amon, NM State – 20:59.20
17. Ari Trimble, Utah Valley – 21:01.60
18. Caila Odekirk, Utah Valley – 21:06.40
19. Mazzie Melaney Preston, Utah Valley – 21:06.50
20. Emilia Mikszuta, California Baptist – 21:07.50
 
2022 WAC Men's Cross Country 8K Team Results
 

Rank	Team	Points
1.	California Baptist	23
2.	Southern Utah	64
3.	Utah Valley	67
4.	UT Arlington	187
5.	Stephen F. Austin	193
6.	Grand Canyon	200
7.	Sam Houston	209
8.	Tarleton	213
9.	Abilene Christian	214
10.	Utah Tech	259
11.	NM State	271
12.	Seattle U	282
13.	UTRGV	307

 
2022 WAC Men's Athlete of the Year: Said Mechaal, California Baptist
2022 WAC Men's Freshman of the Year: Adam Bunker, Utah Valley
2022 WAC Men's Coach of the Year: Adam Tribble, California Baptist
 
2022 Men's All-WAC First Team
1.   Said Mechaal, California Baptist – 22:58.60
2.   Giedrius Valincius, California Baptist – 23:08.10 
3.   Arturs Medveds, California Baptist – 23:12.40
4.   Isaiah Labra, Southern Utah – 23:15.00 
5.   Florian Le Pallec, California Baptist – 23:19.70 
6.   Joel Mendez, Utah Valley – 23:25.30
7.   Habtamu Cheney, Utah Valley – 23:32.70 
8.   Travis Feeny, Southern Utah – 23:43.70
9.   Santiago Gaitan, Southern Utah – 23:43.80
10.Joseph Skoog, Grand Canyon – 23:43.90
 
2022 Men's All-WAC Second Team
11.Austin Hone, Utah Valley – 23:47.80
12.Rikus Van Niekerk, California Baptist – 23:49.90
13.Hayden Harward, Southern Utah – 23:51.40 
14.Gudisa Adnow, Sam Houston – 23:58.70
15.Levi Chambers, Abilene Christian – 24:01.20
16.Zlatko Kozuhar, California Baptist – 24:04.60
17.Anekin Hetman, NM State – 24:04.80
18.Lewis Mills, Stephen F. Austin – 24:09.00
19.Massimiliano Berti, California Baptist – 24:13.60
20.Christian Rivera, Sam Houston – 24:15.10