For the third time this season, Hutchinson Community College freshman Faith Jepchirchir was named the NJCAA Division I Women’s Cross Country National Runner of the Week.

The Blue Dragon freshman became the third Blue Dragon women’s runner in program history to win the Region 6 Individual championship and lead No. 6-ranked Hutchinson to a second-straight Region 6 runner-up team finish and Jayhawk West conference championship.

Jepchirchir won her first national weekly honor after winning the Terry Masterson Twilight Classic on August 30 in her Hutchinson debut. One month later, she won her second after become the first Blue Dragon women’s runner to smash the 18-minute barrier at 5,000 meters at the Chili Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The Blue Dragon freshman won the Region 6 individual title with a time of 17:08.43 on Friday.

Winner of three event titles in four races this season, Jepchirchir will lead the sixth-ranked Blue Dragons into the 2024 NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships on November 9 in Richmond, Virginia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728868870788.jpeg" alt="Faith Jepchirchir breaks her own school record in her third race victory of the season, winning the Region 6 Preview with a time of 16:55.33 on Saturday in Winfield (Photo by Rama Peroo/Cowley Sports Information)" />
 <figcaption>Faith Jepchirchir breaks her own school record in her third race victory of the season, winning the Region 6 Preview with a time of 16:55.33 on Saturday in Winfield (Photo by Rama Peroo/Cowley Sports Information)</figcaption>
 </figure>For the third time this season, Hutchinson Community College freshman Faith Jepchirchir was named the NJCAA Division I Women’s Cross Country National Runner of the Week.The Blue Dragon freshman became the third Blue Dragon women’s runner in program history to win the Region 6 Individual championship and lead No. 6-ranked Hutchinson to a second-straight Region 6 runner-up team finish and Jayhawk West conference championship.Jepchirchir won her first national weekly honor after winning the Terry Masterson Twilight Classic on August 30 in her Hutchinson debut. One month later, she won her second after become the first Blue Dragon women’s runner to smash the 18-minute barrier at 5,000 meters at the Chili Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas.The Blue Dragon freshman won the Region 6 individual title with a time of 17:08.43 on Friday.Winner of three event titles in four races this season, Jepchirchir will lead the sixth-ranked Blue Dragons into the 2024 NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships on November 9 in Richmond, Virginia.

👟 HutchCC's Jepchirchir wins 3rd NJCAA national weekly honor