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<b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;color:#0F4761">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Nov. 15, 2024<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="layout-grid-mode:char"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Baylor XC Freshman Phenom Ruth Kimeli Qualifies for NCAA Championship<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="layout-grid-mode:char"><b><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">Kimeli becomes first Baylor woman to individually qualify since 2017<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="layout-grid-mode:char"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">For more information contact:
</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">Josie Hutton; 254-709-7720,
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Courier;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="mailto:josie_hutton@baylor.edu"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:blue">josie_hutton@baylor.edu</span></a></span><u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;layout-grid-mode:char"><b><span style="mso-ligatures:none">COLLEGE STATION, Texas –</span></b><span style="mso-ligatures:none"> The freshman phenom Ruth Kimeli continues to make her impressive run as she brought
out all the stops at the NCAA South Central Regional at the Watts Cross Country Course on Friday morning. Kimeli paced herself for a career-best podium finish of fourth place and a personal-best time of 19:28.1 in the 6k to become the first Baylor woman in
seven years to qualify individually to the NCAA National Championship. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;layout-grid-mode:char"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">The freshman from Kenya became just the second female freshman in program history and 10<sup>th</sup> female overall in program history to earn an individual
qualification. The last XC freshman to qualify for Baylor to the national championship was in 2010.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;layout-grid-mode:char"><b><span style="mso-ligatures:none">THE RUNDOWN<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;layout-grid-mode:char"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Never being lower than eighth place, Kimeli remained in the top-10 throughout the entirety of the 6k race. Her overall time of 19:28.1 in the 6k was just
33 seconds shy of the top runner and only four and six seconds shy of finishing in third and second respectfully.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;layout-grid-mode:char"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Overall, Kimeli paced the Baylor women to an 11th place finish with five Bears earning PB times. Ella Perry, earning a PB time of 20:58.8, finished as No.
2 in 54<sup>th</sup> place. Following was Jackie Addy who PR'd with a 21:46.8 time. Jordan Ledington finished at No. 4 and Rosanna Pugh at No. 5 with her PB time of 22:36.4. Anna Garner and Alaina Zamorano finished behind the top five to close out the team’s
2024 season.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;layout-grid-mode:char"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">On the men’s side, four Bears competed in the 10k competition. Jack Sterrett finished at the No. 1 spot for the second consecutive meet in 88<sup>th</sup>
place with a 32:08.8 time to conclude his freshman XC season. Devin Duran earned the No. 2 spot and Nolan Keenan at No. 3. Nick Hruskoci wrapped for the Baylor men.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;layout-grid-mode:char"><b><span style="mso-ligatures:none">WHAT’S NEXT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;layout-grid-mode:char"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Kimeli will travel to Verona, Wisconsin to compete in the NCAA XC National Championship at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course on Saturday, Nov. 23 to close
out the 2024 XC season. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;layout-grid-mode:char">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="http://www.baylorbears/"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black">- BaylorBears</span></i></a></span><i><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">.com</span></u></i><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">
-<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#0F5C1A;mso-ligatures:none">Josie Hutton</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"> | Associate Director of Athletics Communications (FB, T&F/XC, MTEN) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Department of Athletics | Baylor University<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">C: (254) 709-7720<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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