RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – East Central’s men became the first team at a Great American Conference Cross Country Championship to own each of the top five positions as the Tigers recorded a perfect score en route to securing the 2023 GAC Championship title on Saturday from the campus of Arkansas Tech University.
The victory gives the Tigers back-to-back team titles and nine in the 13-year history of the Great American Conference. Aspel Kiprob bested teammate and 2022 GAC Champion Amos Pkiach for the individual crown. Kiprob crossed the line in 23:52.14, the fastest time in GAC Championship history. He broke the record by more than 26 seconds. All five of the Tigers’ scoring runners - Pkiach, Peter Kipkemboi, Paul Korir and Oliver Kiptoo broke the record established by former Tiger Will Baldin in 2015, 24:18.34. Two additional ECU runners, Michael Iyali and Melvin Kipkemboi earned top-10 finishes. ECU set a championship record with a 59-point margin of victory while Steve Sawyer garnered his ninth Coach of the Year award.
2023 GAC MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS | 2023 ALL-GAC TEAMS
Oklahoma Baptist edged out Harding by one point for second place. Maxamillian Wheeler, paced the Bison with a sixth-place result - the third top-10 finish at the GAC Championships in his career. Emory Crayton took 10th and scored the league’s Freshman of the Year accolade. He became the third GAC Freshman of the Year in school history, matching the feat accomplished by Christian Arenivar and Patrick Harris. Carson Kardokus and James Williams earned top-20 showings.
Luke Walling led Harding as he took eighth for his third-straight GAC Championships top-10 finish. Four Bisons - Arnaud des Boscs, Zach Reed, Matt Ingalsbe and Nathan Perry finished inside the top 20.
Ouachita Baptist placed fourth as three Tigers - Gabriel Greenwich, Whit Lawrence and Dylan Dew - registered top-20 results. Northwestern Oklahoma State’s Christian Franklin led the Rangers to a fifth-place showing after taking 19th.
Southern Arkansas claimed sixth, followed by Southern Nazarene and Arkansas-Monticello.
The top 20 runners earned All-GAC distinction. East Central led with seven First-Team selections, tied for the most in league history, equalling the feat set by ECU in 2011. Harding followed with five recognized, four from Oklahoma Baptist, three from Ouachita Baptist and one from Northwestern Oklahoma State.
The league also honored its top student athletes with its Elite and Distinguished Scholar Athlete awards, presented by Conway Regional Health System. Harding’s Jacob Wood and Ouachita Baptist’s Lawrence each received the Elite Scholar honor as both own perfect 4.00 grade-point averages.
ECU’s Maverick Stephenson and Peter Kimaiyo, Harding’s Caleb Chunn and Tom Valente, Harding; Ouachita Baptist’s Cade Swindle and Joshua Tibbs; Oklahoma Baptist’ Kardokus and Southern Nazarene’s Joel Haynes received the Distinguished Scholar award.