PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Tulane's Emmanuel Rotich was named the
U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association South Central Region Athlete of the Year for the second year in a row as announced by the organization on Tuesday. An American Athletic Conference runner has earned this honor for the last three consucitive seasons.
Rotich defended his regional title this season, claiming his second straight first place finish in the NCAA South Central Regional Championships last weekend with a time of 29:49.1 to qualify for this weekend's NCAA National Championships. Rotich maintained a pace of 4:47 per mile, setting a new personal best and school record in the 10k and breaking the 10k course record at Texas A&M's Watts Cross Country Course in the process.
Rotich has won five consecutive meets, dating back to the Temple Invitational, Sept. 1 in Philadelphia. This includes winning the American Athletic Conference Championship on Oct. 28.
Rotich will be joined by three other American runners on Saturday, November 18 at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer Park in Louisville, Ky. for the
NCAA Championships. Houston's Brian Barraza, SMU's Hannah Miller and Tulsa's Henry Pearce will be representing The American alongside Rotich in the national championships.