FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Sophomore
Elizabeth Khatevi of the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi cross country team kept her perfect season going on Friday morning, claiming victory at the 2025 NCAA South Central Regional Championships to punch her ticket to next week's NCAA Championships in Columbia, Missouri.
Khatevi finished the women's 6k with a time of 19:33.6, crossing the line nearly nine seconds ahead of second-place Sydney Thorvaldson of Arkansas. The Southland Conference Runner of the Year made her move near the end of the race, as after clocking in five seconds behind Thorvaldson at the 4.5k split, she kicked during the final stretch to overtake her SEC opponent and make her way to the finish line with plenty of room to spare. This secured Khatevi's sixth victory in as many races during the 2025 season, bringing her mark up to eight wins in nine total meets since joining the program prior to last year.
With Khatevi's win, the Islanders have now had student-athletes qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships in back-to-back seasons, with current sophomore
Dominic Kiptum also doing so in his debut campaign in 2024. Khatevi becomes just the seventh runner in A&M-Corpus Christi history to compete at the biggest meet of the year and the third on the women's side, joining Kiptum, Dennis Kipngeno in 2021, Allyson Girard in 2018, Patrick Kimeli in 2010 and 2011, Anne Ronoh in 2008 and 2009 and Shadrack Songok in 2006 and 2007.
Khatevi's stellar outing also helped lead the women's team to a sixth-place finish in the team standings out of 24, tallying 179 points and coming in ahead of power conference opponents Texas, TCU and Baylor. They also finished as the top team in the Southland Conference, ranking one spot ahead of Stephen F. Austin in a reversal of the result from the SLC Cross Country Championships two weeks ago. The next highest finisher for the Islanders was SLC Freshman of the Year
Phylis Kibet, who crossed the line in 20:38.0 to place 16
th overall and earn All-Region Honors. Sophomore
Alicia Finnis placed 37
th overall with a time of 21:27.8 in her second time competing at the South Central Regional, and rounding out the top five were junior
Faith Ramos in 58
th and freshman
Sharon Jemeli in 74
th with times of 22:04.0 and 22:22.3 respectively.
On the men's side, the Islanders also finished in sixth place in the 10k, defending their current ranking in the South Central Region and coming in second in the Southland behind only SFA after recording a score of 183 points. Their top finisher was junior
Mathayo Bundotich, who also secured All-Region Honors by finishing in 25
th overall with a time of 30:46.3. Right behind Bundotich were both freshman
Kye Lowth and Kiptum, with the former placing 29
th with a time of 31:02.4 and the latter in 37
th at a mark of 31:19.4. Finally, senior
Ewan Wheelwright finished fourth on the team and 45
th overall with a time of 31:37.6, and sophomore
Diego Canto locked in the points by placing 61
st with a time of 31:55.6.
"What a day!" Islanders head coach
Bryan Jackson said. "It was not perfect, and we had to find a level of grit and tenacity to get it done! But in the end, they raced with a ton of heart, and I couldn't be more proud. The women outperformed their ranking, avenging the loss two weeks ago to SFA while also taking down the Longhorns, and the men matched their ranking and overcame adversity to do so.
"On the individual side, our All-Region athletes had absolutely special days, highlighted by Elizabeth continuing her undefeated season to win the region! She has had a special season, and it's not done yet!"
Khatevi will now take her shot at glory at Nationals on November 22, which will be hosted by the University of Missouri at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia.
Women's Results
1.
Elizabeth Khatevi: 19:33.6
16.
Phylis Kibet: 20:38.0
37.
Alicia Finnis: 21:27.8
58.
Faith Ramos: 22:04.0
74.
Sharon Jemeli: 22:22.3
127.
Embla Hreimsdottir: 23:16.0
Men's Results
25.
Mathayo Bundotich: 30:46.3
29.
Kye Lowth: 31:02.4
37.
Dominic Kiptum: 31:19.4
45.
Ewan Wheelwright: 31:37.6
61.
Diego Canto: 31:55.6
120.
Joseph Lopez: 33:28.7
130.
Gary Custer: 33:43.5
#ShakasUp
