RENO, Nev. – The Mountain West announced its 2026 Men’s and Women’s Cross Country All-Conference teams following the conclusion of the league’s championships on Friday, Oct. 30. The top-14 finishers in each race at the MW championships receive All-MW honors, as the top seven earn first-team recognition, while those placing eighth through 14th garnered second-team accolades.

The Conference also awarded the MW Athlete of the Year honors to the top finishers of the men’s and women’s championship races. 
New Mexico’s Evans Kiplagat earned the MW Men’s Athlete of the Year award after becoming the fourth straight New Mexico men’s runner to win the Conference individual title, following three straight years of former Lobo standout Habtom Samuel taking the crown. The senior clocked a time of 22:54.3 to capture the Lobos’ ninth individual title overall.
New Mexico’s Pasanjo Kitonga earned MW Men’s Freshmen of the Year honors, finishing second overall with a time of 23:56.1.
 
On the women’s side, fellow Lobo Pamela Kosgei was awarded the MW Athlete of the Year honor after her third straight first-place finish in the 6k, becoming the first woman in Mountain West history to capture the individual Championship three consecutive years. She also became the first woman in league history to run a sub-19 time at the Championship event with a winning time of 18:49.4 setting a Mountain West record.
 
New Mexico’s Faith Ngetich picked up MW Freshman of the Year honors with her 12th-place finish, clocking a time of 20:02.0.
 
As voted on by the league’s coaches, New Mexico’s Darren Gauson three-repeated as the MW Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year after leading the Lobo men and women to back-to-back-to-back sweeps.
 
MEN’S POSTSEASON AWARDS
All-Mountain West Cross Country First Team
Joshua Abraham, So., New Mexico
Vincent Chirchir, Jr. New Mexico
Lukas Kiprop, Sr., New Mexico 
Evans Kiplagat, Sr., New Mexico
Collins Kiprotich, Jr., New Mexico
Pasanjo Kitonga, Fr., New Mexico
Bilial Safadi, So., New Mexico
 
All-Mountain West Cross Country Second Team
Junior Allen, Jr., Air Force
Bryce Denton, So., Air Force
Matthew Edwards, Jr., Air Force
Matthew Giardina, So., New Mexico
Brenton Maddox, Sr., Air Force
Auge Martin, So., Air Force
Habi Wetzel, Fr., Wyoming
 
MW Men’s Athlete of the Year:  Evans Kiplagat, Sr., New Mexico
MW Men’s Freshman of the Year:  Pasanjo Kitonga, Fr., New Mexico
MW Men’s Coach of the Year:  Darren Gauson, New Mexico 

WOMEN’S POSTSEASON AWARDS
All-Mountain West Cross Country First Team
Eowyn Dalbec, Sr., Wyoming 
Li-Mari Dekker, So., New Mexico
Ella Johnson, Sr., Air Force
Mercy Kirarei, Jr., New Mexico
Pamela Kosgei, Jr., New Mexico 
Christina Nisoli, Sr., New Mexico
Jasmine Wood, Sr., New Mexico

All-Mountain West Cross Country Second Team
Liliane Aittama, Sr., Air Force
Claire Engelhardt, So., Wyoming
Kylie Feeney, So., New Mexico
Anna Harden, Sr., Air Force
Muriel Jones, Jr., Wyoming
Faith Ngetich, Sr., New Mexico
Hailey Uhre, Sr., Wyoming
 
MW Women’s Athlete & Freshman of the Year: Pamela Kosgei, Jr., New Mexico
MW Women’s Freshman of the Year: Faith Ngetich, Fr., New Mexico
MW Women’s Coach of the Year: Darren Gauson, New Mexico