Doris Lemngole Defends Individual National Title, UA Men Finish Sixth as Team at NCAA Championships

Saturday, November 22

Columbia, Mo. / Gans Creek Cross Country Course

Alabama

NCAA Championships

alabama track/cross country doris lemngole

Doris Lemngole Defends Individual National Title, UA Men Finish Sixth as Team at NCAA Championships

11/22/2025 2:39:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country

Final Results (Web)Photo Gallery

Lemngole is the first female runner to win back-to-back national titles in 14 years as the Crimson Tide men secured their highest team finish since 2009

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Alabama cross country ace Doris Lemngole defended her individual title at the NCAA Championships Saturday, as the UA men captured their highest team finish at the national meet (sixth) since Dan Waters took over the program in 2011.

The UA women captured their sixth consecutive top-20 team finish at the national meet, and 10^th overall, spearheaded by a meet and course record-breaking performance from Lemngole (18:25.4) who became the first back-to-back winner in the women's 6k race since Sheila Reid (Villanova) in 2010 and 2011. Earning All-America honors alongside Lemngole were freshmen duo Caren Kiplagat (11^th | 18:58.8) and Cynthia Jemutai (19^th | 19:05.6).

The Crimson Tide men were led by All-American duo Dismus Lokira (11^th | 28:48.5) and Dennis Kipruto (26^th | 28:57.4) who captured top-30 individual finishes. At the end, Alabama's sixth-place finish was the highest for the program since its third-place team finish in 2009. The Tide's 253-point total also secured the highest finish by a Southeastern Conference team in the men's 10k race.

UA Women 6k Rundown

Following the Tide's trio of Lemngole, Kiplagat and Jemutai were Leah Kleekamp (250^th | 21:25.3) and Kaylie Crews (255^th | 21:37.8)
Alabama finished as the third-highest SEC team (16^th | 460 points), behind only Florida (fifth | 225 points) and South Carolina (15^th | 456 points)
With Saturday's results, the Tide has still never finished outside the top 20 at the NCAA Championships

UA Men 8k Rundown

Led by the 11-26 finish from Lokira and Kipruto, Nelson Pariken (54^th | 29:16.6), Ezekiel Pitireng (91^st | 29:32.2) and Carson Burian (119^th | 29:45.0) rounded out the Tide's scoring five
Alabama finished the day as the highest SEC team (sixth | 253 points), as Oklahoma (15^th | 480 points) and Arkansas (18^th | 498 points) rounded out the league's top three at the national meet
The Tide's sixth-place team finish is the program's highest since Dan Waters took over the program in 2011

Head Coach Dan Waters Said

"Today was a tremendous showing for our program. Doris delivered another remarkable performance to defend her national title. Our men stepped up for their best team finish in years, while the women continued their standard with yet another top-20 placement. Overall, I couldn't be prouder of the way our program competed and represented Alabama on the national stage. This was a solid finish to our cross country season and we will use this as momentum as we begin the indoor track and field season next month."