ARLINGTON– UT Arlington's Dorcas Jepkosgei has been named the Western Athletic Conference Cross Country Women's Freshman of the Year as announced by the conference on Tuesday.
 
The freshman had a tremendous regular season campaign, finishing second at UTA's Gerald Richey Invitational (Sept. 5), first at the Texas A&M Invitational (Sept. 13), second at Arkansas' Chile Pepper Festival (Oct. 4), and 16th at Texas A&M's Arturo Barrios Invitational (Oct. 17). Jepkosgei rounded out WAC Championships with an impressive second place finish back on October 31 in Arlington with a time of 20:03.90 in the women's 6k.
 
That performance earned her All-WAC First Team honors making it her first in her collegiate career.
 
Jepkosgei hit a new personal record in her young career back at the Chile Pepper Festival, turning in a time of 16:09.5 in the women's 5k. At the Texas A&M Invitational, the freshman also set a new course record in the Aggies' event after capturing a winning time of 16:46.0.
 
"We are very proud of Dorcas and look forward to her continuing to improve as she faces the NCAA Regionals and national competition," said head coach John Sauerhage. "She will be up for the task."
 
On top of a strong first year, the newcomer was named WAC Athlete of the Week for three consecutive weeks throughout the course of the fall.
 
According to the USTFCCCA, the Kenyan native is currently ranked 71st in the country and fifth in the South Central Regional as Sauerhage and the rest of the Maverick crew will head to Fayetteville to compete in regionals on Friday. Nov. 14.
 
All regional information can be found here.
 
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