Crimson Tide Trio Accumulates SEC Cross Country of the Year Awards

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - On the heels of winning the men's Southeastern Conference Cross Country Championship, and finishing second in the women's championship, Alabama earned a trio of yearly SEC awards, announced Tuesday by the league office.

Women's 6k defending champion Doris Lemngole was voted the 2025 Women's SEC Runner of the Year, while teammate Caren Kiplagat earned Women's SEC Freshman of the Year accolades. For the second time in four years, Dan Waters was named the men's SEC Cross Country Coach of the Year.

Doris Lemngole - Women's SEC Runner of the Year

Named Runner of the Year for the second straight season by the conference
- First UA women's student-athlete to go back-to-back since Mercy Chelangat (2020, 2021)
Defended her individual title at the SEC Championships (19:32.37), finishing over 15 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher
Awarded first-team All-SEC honors for her championship-winning performance
Led a Crimson Tide charge that saw three UA runners finish in the top four at the conference meet
Helped guide UA to its second top-two team finish in as many seasons
Ended her 2025 track and field season in September where she made her World Championships debut with a fifth-place finish in the women's steeplechase final, representing Kenya

Caren Kiplagat - Women's SEC Freshman of the Year

Became the first UA women's student-athlete to earn Freshman of the Year honors since the Tide went back-to-back in 2022 (Hilda Olemomoi) and 2023 (Doris Lemngole)
Won bronze at her first SEC Championship meet, helping give the UA women three runners in the top four
Awarded first-team All-SEC honors
Claimed the women's individual title, in her collegiate debut, at the Southern Showcase
Named the USTFCCCA women's national athlete of the week following her victory at the Southern Showcase and earned SEC Women's Runner of the Week honors a day later
Has captured four top-three finishes in five of her races during her rookie campaign

Dan Waters - Men's SEC Coach of the Year

Led Alabama to the program's fifth SEC men's title and second in four years
The Crimson Tide men have finished in the top five of every meet this season, highlighted by three consecutive victories (Crimson Classic, SEC Championships, NCAA South Regional)
The UA men also captured their ninth regional championship in program history, advancing to their fourth National Championships in the last five years

University of Alabama Athletics