CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – NC State’s Hannah Gapes was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Cross Country Performer of the Year on Wednesday, December 3, while Wake Forest’s Rocky Hansen was named the ACC Men’s Cross Country Performer of the Year. NC State’s Laurie Henes was named the ACC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year, while Syracuse’s Brien Bell was tabbed as the ACC Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year. NC State’s Sadie Engelhardt earned the ACC Women’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year honor and Louisville’s Elsingi Kipruto was named the ACC Men’s Freshman of the Year.
Gapes finished in the top five at the ACC Women’s Cross Country Championship, the Southeast Region Championship and the NCAA Division I Championship. She claimed second place at the NCAA Southeast Regional and fifth at the ACC and NCAA Championships. Gapes’ finish as the first ACC student-athlete to cross the finish line, and fifth overall, led the Wolfpack to their fourth national championship in five years. Gapes’ performance also assisted the Wolfpack in claiming their 29th ACC Women’s Cross Country Championship title. This marks the seventh straight year that a runner from NC State has been named the ACC Women’s Performer of the Year.
After winning the ACC Men’s Cross Country Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, Hansen became the first Demon Deacon to be named the ACC Performer of the Year since 2001. Hansen shattered the E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park course record by 40 seconds, breaking the tape at 22:18.6. During the NCAA Championship, Hansen finished in second place, completing the 10K in 28:38.0. His course time led the Demon Deacons to a 12th place overall team finish.
Henes was named the ACC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year for the 10th time in her career. In her 20th season as the head coach of the NC State Women’s cross country program, Henes led the team to first place finishes at the ACC championship, totaling 25 points. Additionally, she led the team to the NCAA championship, totaling 51 points after entering as the nation’s No. 2 ranked team. This year’s accomplishments mark Henes’ 10th ACC championship and fourth national championship. Henes was also named the USTFCCCA National Coach of the Year on Monday, December 1.
In his eighth year as the head coach of the Syracuse cross country program, Brien Bell was named ACC Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year. Bell led the team to a second place finish at the ACC championship and a fourth place finish at the NCAA championship. This year’s NCAA championship appearance marked the Orange’s 17th consecutive national championship appearance. Totaling 131 points and a fourth-place finish, Syracuse led the championship race for the ACC.
After finishing in 10th place at the ACC Championship, NC State’s Sadie Engelhardt was named ACC Women’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year. Engelhardt was the first true freshman to cross the finish line, completing the 6K in 19:45.5. At the NCAA Championship, Engelhardt finished 51st, running a personal best time of 19:32.5.
As the first true freshman to cross the finish line at the ACC Men’s Cross Country Championship, Louisville’s Elsingi Kipruto was named the ACC Men’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year. Kipruto crossed the line with a time of 22:53.8, earning the bronze medal and becoming the first Louisville student-athlete to receive the freshman of the year honor. Additionally, Kipruto finished second at the NCAA Men’s Southeast Region Championship and 39th in the national championship.