Lokira, Kiplagat Sweep Individual Titles at the Southern Showcase

Friday, September 12

Huntsville, Ala. / John Hunt Cross Country Running Park

Alabama

Southern Showcase

Alabama Cross Country champs Dismus and Caren

Lokira, Kiplagat Sweep Individual Titles at the Southern Showcase

9/12/2025 2:41:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country

Final Results (Web)Photo Gallery

Both Crimson Tide runners made their season debut Friday morning

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The No. 11/No. 9 Alabama men's and women's cross country teams swept the individual titles at the Southern Showcase with first-and-sixth-place team finishes, respectively.

The men's 8k race was highlighted by sophomore Dismus Lokira who opened his season with a course-record, 23:11.1 time to claim the individual title, followed by UA teammate Dennis Kipruto (23:20.7) who finished second. Minutes later, in her collegiate debut, Caren Kiplagat crossed the finish line all alone, as the Crimson Tide newcomer needed only 16:18.8 to claim the women's 5k individual title.

The feat marks the second year in a row Alabama has won the men's 8k title at the Southern Showcase, and the third consecutive year that a Crimson Tide runner has claimed the women's 5k crown.

UA Men 8k Rundown

Spearheaded by the 1-2 finish from Lokira and Kipruto, the Crimson Tide placed all five of its scoring-runners in the top 12
Timothy Kibet (23:34.8 | eighth), Ezekiel Pitireng (23:48.4 | 11^th) and Nelson Pariken (23:49.1 | 12^th) rounded out the Tide's pack at the top, all running in their cross country career debut
Alabama ran away from the field, accumulating only 32 points to defend its Southern Showcase team title, as Southeastern Conference foe Auburn took second with 123 points

UA Women 5k Rundown

Following Kiplagat's first-place finish was Lilly Walters (16:51.6 | eighth), Meriel Rowland (17:51.0 | 64^th), Leah Kleekamp (17:52.7 | 67^th) and Izzie Sullivan (17:54.4 | 70^th) who all clocked a scoring-time for the Crimson Tide
Alabama finished sixth (201 points), as team-winner Louisville (69 points), Mississippi State (88 points), Kentucky (166 points), Georgia Tech (179 points) and Kennesaw State (184 points) rounded out the top-five programs in the women's standings

Head Coach Dan Waters Said

"This was a really good start to the competitive season, and I'm proud of how our group stepped up today. They executed the race plans with confidence and showed great energy throughout both races. It was good to fire up the engines before we head to Missouri in a few weeks, and this performance gives us plenty of momentum to build from moving forward."

Up Next

Alabama will take a week off before traveling to Columbia, Mo., for the Gans Creek Classic on Sept. 26
The competition marks the first of two meets this season held at Gans Creek Cross Country Course, as the NCAA National Championships (Nov. 22) will also take place in Columbia