Freshman Purity Chekpirui (middle) earned MAC Women's Runner of the Week honors.
Photo by: Ellen Holton
Purity Chepkirui Named MAC Women's Runner of the Week
9/15/2026 10:10:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Rocket freshman finished fifth at Spartan Invitational in collegiate debut
TOLEDO, Ohio – Toledo freshman Purity Chepkirui was named the Mid-American Conference Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week, the league office announced on Tuesday morning.
Chepkirui led the Rockets to a second-place finish at Michigan State's Spartan Invitational, placing fifth in her collegiate debut with a team-best time of 21:13.7 in the 6K race. Toledo, ranked No. 25 nationally, narrowly fell to No. 3 ranked Great Lakes Region host Michigan State, 40-42, in a field that also included No. 6 Michigan, No. 7 Ohio State and No. 8 Ohio.
Toledo returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 19 when it heads to Terre Haute, Ind. for Indiana State's John McNichols Invitational. Indiana State is the host site for the 2026 NCAA Division I Championships. The women will be competing in a field that includes No. 8 Northern Arizona, No. 9 Stanford, No. 11 Northwestern, No. 14 Florida, No. 18 Colorado, No. 20 Utah and No. 28 Boston College. The men are racing against a field that includes No. 6 Colorado, No. 7 Northern Arizona, No. 9 BYU, No. 10 Wisconsin, No. 11 Washington State, No. 12 Eastern Kentucky, No. 16 Butler, No. 17 Michigan State, No. 20 Georgia, No. 21 Florida, No. 23 Air Force and No. 24 California Baptist.
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Chepkirui led the Rockets to a second-place finish at Michigan State's Spartan Invitational, placing fifth in her collegiate debut with a team-best time of 21:13.7 in the 6K race. Toledo, ranked No. 25 nationally, narrowly fell to No. 3 ranked Great Lakes Region host Michigan State, 40-42, in a field that also included No. 6 Michigan, No. 7 Ohio State and No. 8 Ohio.
Toledo returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 19 when it heads to Terre Haute, Ind. for Indiana State's John McNichols Invitational. Indiana State is the host site for the 2026 NCAA Division I Championships. The women will be competing in a field that includes No. 8 Northern Arizona, No. 9 Stanford, No. 11 Northwestern, No. 14 Florida, No. 18 Colorado, No. 20 Utah and No. 28 Boston College. The men are racing against a field that includes No. 6 Colorado, No. 7 Northern Arizona, No. 9 BYU, No. 10 Wisconsin, No. 11 Washington State, No. 12 Eastern Kentucky, No. 16 Butler, No. 17 Michigan State, No. 20 Georgia, No. 21 Florida, No. 23 Air Force and No. 24 California Baptist.
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Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Women's Cross CountryFriday, May 30
Tuesday, May 27
Monday, November 04
Monday, October 14
