South Central Region honors for Chris Bucknam, Patrick Kiprop

NEW ORLEANS – South Central Region honors for the 2023 cross country season, as announced by USTFCCCA on Tuesday, included accolades for Arkansas men’s head coach Chris Bucknam as Coach of the Year as well as Athlete of the Year for Razorback Patrick Kiprop.

Starting the season ranked in the 20s, Arkansas produced consecutive team victories at Oklahoma State, Chile Pepper Festival, Pre-Nationals, and the SEC Championships. While hosting the South Central Region meet at Agri Park, Bucknam opted to rest four runners as the Razorbacks placed second to earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Championship field.

Ranked No. 7 heading into the final meet, the Razorbacks generated a fourth-place finish to earn a trophy awarded to the top four teams. It was the third time in the past four seasons for Arkansas to place fourth in the cross country national championships.

The fourth place team finish for Bucknam and the Razorbacks completed an incredible calendar year of activity. Back in March, Arkansas won the NCAA Indoor team championship. Then in June, the Razorbacks were team runner-up at the NCAA Outdoor meet, just four points shy of national champion Florida.

No other school placed among the top four in all three disciplines for the 2023 seasons.

2023 NCAA Men’s Podium Finishes

Kiprop won the South Central Region as the Razorbacks finished 1-2 with teammate Kirami Yego placing second. In the national championship race, Kiprop finished seventh to earn a second consecutive All-America honor in cross country after placing 24th a year ago.

Kiprop and Yego, who also earned an All-America honor in placing 13th, raced in the lead pack at the NCAA Championships through a major portion of the race. Kiprop fluctuated between first and fifth place through 9k with splits of 2:29.4 (3rd), 2:58.9 (3rd), 2:58.1 (1st), 2:55.4 (2nd), 2:56.3 (6th), 3:00.5 (1st), 2:52.1 (5th), 2:46.7 (5th), 3:14.2 (5th), 2:56.6 (7th).