Courtesy of New Mexico Athletics 

EUGENE, Oregon— In his final collegiate race of the 2025-26 season, Habtom Samuel finished much like he did in every other NCAA Championship race this season, as a champion. The Lobo junior remained unbeaten, winning his fourth collegiate title this academic year and his second individual title at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a 13:38.93 performance in the 5000-meter final Friday evening.

By doing so, he became just the 15th man to complete the 5K/10K double in collegiate history, the first man to win both the 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter finals at the same outdoor championships since Ky Robinson in 2023, and only the sixth to do so in the 21st century.

It’s the first time the Eritrean junior has won two titles at the same NCAA Championships, bringing him to five total individual titles and 13 First Team All-American finishes across cross country, indoor and outdoor, the most decorated Lobo All-American — man or woman.

Samuel closed with a 55.53 final lap to outlast Wake Forest’s Rocky Hansen, winning by a 0.98 second margin.

Unlike Wednesday’s 10,000-meter race, Samuel settled into the back of the pack through the first 1000 meters, only making his move to the front and into second place behind Hansen at the 1400-meter mark. However, one lap later, the Lobo found himself in the middle of the group in 10th before jockeying for position and moving back up into fifth a lap later.

Samuel took his first lead with 2000 meters to go, which he held for the next three laps before Marco Langon from Villanova and Hansen pushed him to third with one lap remaining. Samuel made his move around the first turn of the final lap to regain the lead with Hansen attempting to go with the Lobo. While Hansen was in pursuit around the final turn, Samuel continued to accelerate and put distance between the Demon Deacon for the victory. Samuel ultimately trimmed his time by 6.82 between the final two laps, with his final lap the fastest lap.

With 20 men’s points courtesy of Samuel’s pair of wins, the Lobo men conclude the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships in 14th place in the men’s team score. Samuel outscored 122 teams in the competition alone, with those 20 points standing as the fourth-most outdoors in men’s program history.

The women conclude the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships with Pamela Kosgei and Marion Jepngetich in the 5000-meter final on Saturday at 7:55 p.m. MT.