TALLAHASSEE, Florida. – As Trinity Western's only qualifier on the women's side, first-year Ava Rodway finished 239th overall in the NAIA National Cross Country Championships Friday morning at Apalachee Regional Park.

Rodway, who was 12th at the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championships, crossed the lin in 24:19.6 over six kilometres.

On the men's side, second-year Spartan Yemane Mulugeta finished third overall to lead TWU in its first-ever NAIA national championship race.

Mulugeta, who won the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) Championship two weeks ago and was recently named the West Region's Athlete of the Year, crossed the line in 24:26.5 over the eight kilometre course. Mulugeta was amongst the leaders from start to finish, but was just bested in the final kilometre by winner Jack Anderson from The Master's (24:15.4) and Mason Weisgerber of Southern Oregon (24:17.2)

The Spartans top three on the men's side saw David Mutai cross the line 18th in 24:54.5 and Justin Kiplagat come in 27th in 25:06.8. Mulugeta, Mutai and Kiplagat all earned NAIA All-American honours. 

As a team, the Spartans men, who entered the national championships ranked 15th, cracked the top 10, finishing ninth overall and third amongst CCC schools. The Spartans women's team didn't qualify for nationals, with Rodway being TWU's only individual qualifier on the women's side. 

QUOTABLE
Shane Wiebe, TWU Head Coach
"It was a great day here in Tallahassee. There are some mixed emotions amongst the athletes, but as coaches, we're feeling that a ninth-place finish as a team on the men's side is a very good result for our first year in NAIA. The quality of running here is definitely higher and for us to do as well as we did is a testament to the hard work the athletes have put in and the great coaching they've been getting from Sarah Inglis and our other middle distance coaches. Kudos to Yemane. He just didn't have the gas in the last 500 metres to overtake the leaders, but he was in the main pack the whole way. David Mutai had the race of his life today and even some of our other guys like Malcolm and Brendan had great races. For Ava Rodway, as a freshman, it was a positive experience for her to go through and learn what it's like to compete in a national championship. Overall, as coaches, we're happy with today's efforts. It's been a great experience and it's been a first-class event."

Men's Results | 8km
3rd – Yemane Mulugeta – 24:26.5
18th – David Mutai – 24:54.5
27th – Justin Kiplagat – 25:06.8
183rd – Malcolm Reid – 26:31.5
203rd – Elijah Headley – 26:40.5
205th – Brendan O'Brien – 26:42.3
275th – Lucien Dixon-Lawless – 27:53.6

Women's Results | 6km
239th – Ava Rodway – 24:19.6

NOTABLE
•    Mulugeta finished in the top three in five of his six races this season and in the top seven in all six races. 
•    Friday's race was run on the same course the will host the 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships on January 10, 2026.
•    TWU entered the NAIA this year and now competes in the NAIA in cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field. 

About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 11 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes in NAIA in cross country and track and field and as an independent team in men's rugby and women's and men's disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 14 U SPORTS team championships and 34 Canada West team championships.

About Trinity Western University
Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in CIS sports. More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.  

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