New Orleans, Louisiana -
Weldon Chebon was named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) South Central Region 2025 NCAA Division II South Central Region Athlete of the Year.
Chebon had a banner season for the Cowboys as he won the individual titles at the NCAA DII South Central Regional and South Central Regional Preview. The New Mexico Highlands sophomore also finished third at the New Mexico Highlands Cross Country Jam and Texas Tech Red Raider Open, and seventh at the RMAC Championships.
The sophomore from Timbora, Kenya, won the Regional Championship in a time of 29:44.9, besting the second place finisher by nearly ten seconds. In doing so, he became the second NMHU runner to capture a Regional Championship since Laurent Ngrikamaro did it in 2007.
After the race Coach
Bob DeVries said, "What a race by Weldon. He learned from the way RMAC played out, stayed patient and made a decisive move with a mile to go to break away."
"Coach and I focused on a smart, patient race plan," commented Chebon, echoing his coach's feelings. "The goal was to stay relaxed through the first half, maintain good position, and then make a strong move in the later stages. We emphasized trusting my training, sticking to the plan even if the pace went out fast, and finishing with confidence and composure."
Looking ahead, Chebon will be in Kenosha, Wisconsin, for the NCAA Division II National Championships this Saturday. Race time is set for 9:00 am (MT).
"It means a lot to me qualifying for Nationals two years in a row, it shows that the hard work and consistency are paying off, " said Chebon. "It's a special feeling to represent my team and school again on the national stage, and it motivates me to keep pushing for even better results."
Full USTFCCCA Release
