Auburn University sophomore Nickson Chebii has qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships for the second consecutive year. Competing at the NCAA South Regional Cross Country Championships held at the John Hunt Cross Country Course in Huntsville, Alabama, Chebii finished third overall in the men’s 10k with a personal-best time of 29:13.47.
“Nickson was excellent again today,” Auburn cross country coach Aaron Kindt said. “His confidence continues to grow each week, and there was never a point in the race this morning where he didn’t look like he was in complete control of his race plan.”
Chebii’s performance earned him an automatic individual bid to the NCAA Cross Country National Championship meet. Last year, he placed eighth at regionals and also qualified for nationals. With this result, Chebii becomes a two-time NCAA individual qualifier for Auburn and receives USTFCCCA All-Region honors for a second straight year.
“The goal coming into today was to finish in the top four and punch his ticket to the national championships,” Kindt said. “He knew he had to be excellent today to make it through, and he never left a doubt. I am very proud of the progress he’s made as a racer these last couple of months.”
The South Region is one of nine regional qualifiers that decide which teams and individuals advance to the 2025 NCAA Championships, scheduled for November 22 at Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Missouri.
Auburn junior Evan Hill concluded his season with his first appearance at an NCAA South Regional and his first collegiate 10k race, finishing 77th overall with a time of 31:34.73. Hill achieved collegiate-best times in all five meets this season and consistently ranked among Auburn’s top four runners.
Sophomore Joshua Kosgei also participated in his first regional meet and completed his debut collegiate 10k by placing 81st with a time of 31:39.00.
In terms of team qualification rules, eighteen teams secure automatic entry into the NCAA Championships by finishing among the top two teams at each regional site. Thirty-six individuals earn spots by being among the top four finishers not on an advancing team; additional selections are made by committee.
At this year’s South Regional event, Florida and Tennessee advanced automatically on the women’s side while Alabama and Ole Miss secured men’s team qualifications.
Chebii will next compete at the national championship event on November 22 in Columbia, Missouri.
