UTEP Wraps Up 2026 Campaign at NCAA Cross Country Mountain Regionals Friday

11/13/2026 8:41:00 PM

FINAL RESULTS LINK (NCAA Mountain Regional)

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – UTEP concluded its 2026 season at the NCAA Mountain Region Cross Country Championships hosted by New Mexico on Friday at the UNM North Course.

Nathan Kapel paced the Miners in the men's 10K race, placing 41^st out of 107 runners with a time of 30:40.1. Juan Leal followed in 31:19.3, while Julian Franco crossed in 32:35.8. Carmelo Corral (32:59.8), Israel Quintana (33:08.3) and Paul Rotich (33:24.9) rounded out the UTEP men's contingent.

"I'm proud of the effort our athletes gave today at the NCAA Mountain Regional Championships. Our men's team finished 15th overall, improving two places from last year," second-year UTEP head coach Francesca Green said. "While that shows progress, we are certainly not satisfied with where we finished. We know we have a tremendous amount of work ahead of us, and our expectations for this program are much higher. We have to continue raising our standards, developing our athletes, and building the depth necessary to compete at a higher level in this region."

Salma Licon led the way for the Orange and Blue in the 6K, posting a time of 23:29.5. Ashlyn McMillan finished close behind at 23:40.3, while Mia Hairston recorded a 25:05.9 and Sofia Ramirez registered a 25:30.7.

"On the women's side, I thought our ladies competed with great effort and represented UTEP well," Green said. "I especially want to recognize our team captain, Salma Licon, who competed in her final NCAA Regional Championship. I'm incredibly proud of her and the way she has performed throughout her career. She has represented this program with determination, commitment, and leadership, and I'm grateful for everything she has contributed."

The NCAA Mountain Region Championships marked the final competition of the 2026 cross country campaign for the Miners. Highlights this season included the Miners hosting their first cross country meet since 2019 at the 40^th Lori Fitzgerald Invitational. The Miners swept the team titles at Ascarate Park on Sept. 19. The men's squad turned in a solid showing at the Chile Pepper Festival, placing third of 26 teams, and finished 15^th out of 38 squads at the Arturo Barrios Invitational. The men climbed to No. 13 in the USTFCCCA Mountain Region rankings.

"As we close out our cross country season, we recognize the progress we've made, but we also understand how far we still have to go. We aren't satisfied, and we shouldn't be. Our goal is to build a championship-caliber program, and that requires accountability, consistency, and a commitment to getting better every day," Green said. "Now we turn our attention to the track season. The lessons we've learned throughout cross country will carry over as we prepare for indoor and outdoor competition. This is an opportunity for our distance athletes to build on their fitness, continue developing, and contribute to the success of our entire track and field program. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I'm excited about what we are building and the opportunities in front of us. Our standard doesn't change with the season. We have to keep working, keep improving, and continue building this program the right way."

The New Mexico swept the team titles, the women scoring 45 points, and the men with 35. The UNM men finished ahead of Colorado (42 points) and BYU (65). The women edged BYU (55) by a point. Northern Arizona was third (81 points).

Lobos had a podium sweep on the women's side (Pamela Kosgei – 19:08.3, Mercy Kirarei – 19:11.6, Marion Jepngetich – 19:24.0).

Texas Tech's Titus Kimaru won the men's individual title with a 28:41.9, while UNM's Collins Kiprotich (28:50.2) and Pasanjo Kitonga (28:51.9) rounded out the top three finishers.

The 2026 NCAA Division I Cross Country Selection Show will air Saturday, Nov. 14, at 3 p.m. MST on NCAA.com. The NCAA Championships are Saturday, Nov. 21, in Terre Haute, Ind.

For complete coverage of UTEP Track & Field/Cross Country, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPTrack (Twitter/Instagram/Facebook) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.

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