(Photo by Kirk Hardcastle)
Kipkemboi placed fourth in the Maroon Division II race at the 35th annual University of Minnesota’s Roy Griak Invitational last Friday.
Kipkemboi, the defending NJCAA Division II champion, covered the rainy 8-kilometer course on the Les Bolstad Golf Course in a time of 25 minutes, 48 seconds in a race made up mainly of NCAA Division II runners.
Kipkemboi’s fourth-place finish in the Division II race was the highest ever by a NIACC men’s runner. NIACC’s Wal Khat placed fifth in 26:18 in the Division II race in 2016 and Trent Smith placed ninth in 2012 in 25:55.
Kipkemboi’s time of 25:48.7 is the fastest ever by a NIACC men’s runner at the Griak Invitational. The previous best time was Smith’s 25:55 in 2012.
It is the second time Kipkemboi has won the USTFCCCA NJCAA Division II men’s cross country athlete of the week. He also won the award in the 2020 season on Oct. 20.