USTFCCCA Cross Country Awards: A Complete History of National Athlete of the Year Honors

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s (USTFCCCA) Cross Country National Athlete of the Year award is given to the most outstanding male and female NCAA cross country athletes. Doris Lemngole of Alabama and Habtom Samuel of New Mexico won the men’s and women’s divisions in 2025.

Here’s everything you need to know about the yearly honor.

How does National Athlete of the Year voting work?

The National Athletes of the Year for Division I cross country are voted on by member coaches of the USTFCCCA. Results from the regular season and DI cross country championships in the voting year are used to determine the outcome.

When will the winner of National Athlete of the Year be revealed?

The DI cross country men’s and women’s National Athlete of the Year winners are announced after the conclusion of the DI cross country championships.

National Athlete of the Year winners by school

Whether it’s a men’s or women’s title, 28 schools have earned at least one National Athlete of the Year honor. From those 28, just 15 schools have won several prizes throughout their history.

With four National Athlete of the Year awards, BYU, Colorado, Oregon, Texas Tech, and Wisconsin top all other institutions. The 2021 men’s and women’s honors increased BYU’s total.

Here are the schools with the most combined (men’s and women’s) National Athlete of the Year accolades.

No. of NAtional Athletes of the Year	School
4	BYU, Colorado, Oregon, Texas Tech, Wisconsin
3	Alabama, Liberty, New Mexico, Villanova
2	Arizona, Arkansas, Harvard, Iowa State, North Carolina, Providence
1	Dartmouth, Florida, Eastern Michigan, Illinois, Iona, Missouri, Northern Arizona, Notre Dame, NC State, South Alabama, Stanford, Syracuse, UCLA

Men’s winners by school

Here are the schools with the most men’s National Athlete of the Year awards.

No. of National Athletes of the Year	School
4	Oregon
3	BYU, Colorado, Liberty, Wisconsin
2	Arizona, Arkansas, Harvard
1	Eastern Michigan, Iowa State, New Mexico, Providence, South Alabama, Stanford, Syracuse, Texas Tech, UCLA, Villanova

Women’s winners by school

Here are the schools with the most women’s National Athlete of the Year awards.

No. of National Athletes of the Year	School
3	Alabama, Texas Tech
2	New Mexico, North Carolina, Villanova
1	Arizona, BYU, Colorado, Dartmouth, Florida, Illinois, Iona, Iowa State, Missouri, Northern Arizona, Notre Dame, NC State, Providence, Wisconsin

National Athlete of the Year winners by conference

Here are the conferences with the most combined (men’s and women’s) National Athlete of the Year awards.

No. of National Athletes of the Year	Conference
13	Pac-12
8	SEC
6	Big 12
5	ACC, Big East, Big Ten
4	WCC
3	ASUN, Ivy, Mountain West
1	Big Sky, MAAC, MAC, Sun Belt

Men’s winners by conference

Here are the conferences with the most men’s National Athlete of the Year awards.

No. of National Athletes of the Year	Conference
11	Pac-12
3	ASUN, Big Ten, WCC
2	Big 12, Big East, Ivy, SEC
1	ACC, MAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt

Women’s winners by conference

Here are the conferences with the most women’s National Athlete of the Year awards.

No. of National Athletes of the Year	Conference
6	SEC
4	ACC, Big 12
3	Big East
2	Big Ten, Mountain West, Pac-12
1	Big Sky, Big Ten, Ivy, MAAC, WCC

The complete history of previous National Athlete of the Year winners

In 2025, New Mexico’s Habtom Samuel and Alabama’s Doris Lemngole won the men’s and women’s DI cross country National Athlete of the Year titles, respectively. Lemngole is the first consecutive women’s champion since Sheila Reid of Villanova in 2011, while Samuel is the first male winner in New Mexico history.

The men’s and women’s DI cross country National Athlete of the Year titles in 2023 went to Parker Valby of Florida and Graham Blanks of Harvard, respectively. For the second year in a row, Blanks and Valby present the award to two first-time winners from their respective schools; the individual title winners from the NCAA championships once more receive this honor.

The 2022 DI cross country National Athlete of the Year awards went to Charles Hicks of Stanford and Katelyn Tuohy of NC State, respectively. Hicks and Tuohy are the first recipients of the honor in each of their school’s history. At the NCAA championships in 2022, Hicks and Tuohy both took home the DI individual title.

The year prior, BYU swept the 2021 men’s and women’s DI cross country National Athlete of the Year awards with Conner Mantz and Whittni Orton earning the men’s and women’s awards, respectively.

Following Edward Cheserek (Oregon, 2013–15), Sam Chelanga (Liberty, 2009–10), Simon Bairu (Wisconsin, 2004–05), and Godfrey Siamusiye (Arkansas, 1995–96), Mantz became the fifth man to win consecutive awards. Jorge Torres (2002) and Dathan Ritzenhein (2003) are the only two straight champions from Colorado.

The only female winners of successive awards are Sheila Reid (Villanova, 2010–11), Sally Kipyego (Texas Tech, 2006–08), and Shalane Flanagan (North Carolina, 2002–03).

See the full list below.

Year	Athlete	School	Gender
2025	Habtom Samuel	New Mexico	Men’s
	Doris Lemngole	Alabama	Women’s
2024	Graham Blanks	Harvard	Men’s
	Doris Lemngole	Alabama	Women’s
2023	Graham Blanks	Harvard	Men’s
	Parker Valby	Florida	Women’s
2022	Charles Hicks	Stanford	Men’s
	Katelyn Tuohy	NC State	Women’s
2021	Conner Mantz	BYU	Men’s
	Whittni Orton	BYU	Women’s
2020	Conner Mantz	BYU	Men’s
	Mercy Chelangat	Alabama	Women’s
2019	Edwin Kurgat	Iowa State	Men’s
	Weini Kelati	New Mexico	Women’s
2018	Morgan McDonald	Wisconsin	Men’s
	Dani Jones	Colorado	Women’s
2017	Justyn Knight	Syracuse	Men’s
	Ednah Kurgat	New Mexico	Women’s
2016	Patrick Tiernan	Villanova	Men’s
	Karissa Schweizer	Missouri	Women’s
2015	Edward Cheserek	Oregon	Men’s
	Molly Seidel	Notre Dame	Women’s
2014	Edward Cheserek	Oregon	Men’s
	Kate Avery	Iona	Women’s
2013	Edward Cheserek	Oregon	Men’s
	Abbey D’Agostino	Dartmouth	Women’s
2012	Kennedy Kithuka	Texas Tech	Men’s
	Betsy Saina	Iowa State	Women’s
2011	Lawi Lalang	Arizona	Men’s
	Sheila Reid	Villanova	Women’s
2010	Sam Chelanga	Liberty	Men’s
	Sheila Reid	Villanova	Women’s
2009	Sam Chelanga	Liberty	Men’s
	Angela Bizzarri	Illinois	Women’s
2008	Galen Rupp	Oregon	Men’s
	Sally Kipyego	Texas Tech	Women’s
2007	Josh McDougal	Liberty	Men’s
	Sally Kipyego	Texas Tech	Women’s
2006	Josh Rohatinsky	BYU	Men’s
	Sally Kipyego	Texas Tech	Women’s
2005	Simon Bairu	Wisconsin	Men’s
	Johanna Nilsson	Northern Arizona	Women’s
2004	Simon Bairu	Wisconsin	Men’s
	Kim Smith	Providence	Women’s
2003	Dathan Ritzenhein	Colorado	Men’s
	Shalane Flanagan	North Carolina	Women’s
2002	Jorge Torres	Colorado	Men’s
	Shalane Flanaga	North Carolina	Women’s
2001	Boaz Cheboiywo	Eastern Michigan	Men’s
2000	Keith Kelly	Providence	Men’s
1999	David Kimani	South Alabama	Men’s
1998	Adam Goucher	Colorado	Men’s
1997	Mebrahtom Keflezighi	UCLA	Men’s
1996	Godfrey Siamusiye	Arkansas	Men’s
1995	Godfrey Siamusiye	Arkansas	Men’s
	Kathy Butler	Wisconsin	Women’s
1994	Martin Keino	Arizona	Men’s