DALLAS – UTEP Cross Country student-athletes Vallary Kiplagat and Juan Leal were recognized on the 2025 Conference USA All-Academic team on Tuesday.
Kiplagat fashioned a 3.95 GPA in nursing. The junior from Eldoret, Kenya, competed in five meets during the season. Kiplagat was the top Miner at the CUSA Cross Country Championships, running a season-best 21:44.6 in the 6k. She finished 10th with an 18:53.4 in the 5k at the UNM Lobo Cross Country Invitational and clocked a PR of 18:48.6 in the 5k at the Lori Fitzgerald Open.
Leal worked towards a 3.62 GPA in mechanical engineering. The sophomore from El Paso competed in four meets during the campaign. Leal turned in a personal-best 15:18.0 in the 5k at the Lori Fitzgerald and placed 19th. He finished fourth in the 5k at the UNM Lobo Cross Country Invitational on Sept. 13, while his efforts helped the men's team win the Lobo Invite. Leal clocked in a PR 25:05.2 at the CUSA Cross Country Championships.
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