Iowa State University Athletics
Kurgat Repeats As Iowa State's Male Athlete Of The Year
04.10.2020 | Athletics, Track and Field
AMES, Iowa – Iowa State distance runner Edwin Kurgat made another strong case as one of the greatest runners in the storied history of the Iowa State track & field program in 2019-20. The Iowa State Athletics Department recognized Kurgat, who won an NCAA cross country title and three Big 12 crowns, today as the recipient of the 2020 Gary Thompson Iowa State Male Athlete of the Year.
It was the second-straight year Kurgat received the prestigious award.
A native of Eldoret, Kenya, Kurgat was simply the best in a shortened 2019-20 season. He began the year by winning the 2019 Big 12 Cross Country Championship to help the Cyclones claim their third-straight team title.
He added the Midwest Region crown a week later to successfully defend both titles and setting up his opportunity at the 2019 NCAA Cross Country Championships.
Kurgat seized the moment by crossing the finish line first at the NCAA Cross Country Championships to become just the third Cyclone to win a NCAA cross country crown. His performance helped the Cyclones place fourth as a team, their highest finish since 1994.
Kurgat was named the USTFCCCA Division I and Big 12 Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year.
Kurgat kept it going during the indoor season, setting school records in the mile (3:58.620), 3,000 meter (7:49.19), 5,000 meter (13:24.04) and as anchor for the distance medley relay (9:28.22).
His performance at the 2020 Big 12 Indoor Big Championships will go down in the history books. Behind Kurgat's two titles (3,000 meter; 5,000 meter), the Cyclones won their first Big 12 Indoor team championship in school history.
Kurgat won the High Point Award at the Big 12 Indoor meet for the second-straight season.
The senior is an eight-time Big 12 champion and six-time All-American during his incredible Cyclone career.
The Iowa State Male Athlete of the Year award was renamed the Gary Thompson Male Athlete of the Year award in honor of the Iowa State legend and two-sport All-American, who was the department's top athlete in 1956 and 1957.
Kurgat will be honored this fall.
