Kiptoo Earns USTFCCCA Regional Indoor Honor

AMES, Iowa – The awards continue to roll in for Iowa State star Wesley Kiptoo, as the Cyclone distance runner was named the USTFCCCA's 2021 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Midwest Region Men's Track Athlete of the Year on Thursday. This is Kiptoo's first seasonal award as a Cyclone from the USTFCCCA and the second-straight season that Iowa State has won the Indoor Track Athlete of the Year award for the region, with Edwin Kurgat taking it last year.

During indoor track season, Kiptoo made his impact felt each time he was on the track. He finished the regular season by sweeping to the Big 12 indoor titles at 3,000 and 5,000 meters last weekend. IN addition, his 5,000m run time of 13:42.52 (converted to 13:31.70 for altitude) earned him a spot in next weekend's NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.

Kiptoo's other runs were equally memorable. At the Razorback Invitational on Jan. 29-30, he anchored for ISU's school-record distance medley relay team, which clocked in at 9:27.90 and earned the No. 2 seed at the NCAA Indoor Championships next weekend. The next day, Kiptoo came back and picked up an individual school record in the 3,000-meter run with his 7:48.36.

In addition, the unique 2020-21 season meant Kiptoo had time to run a cross country meet, dominating at the FSU Winter Classic to win the 8,000m run by 15 seconds and earn USATFCCCA National Athlete of the Week for his performance.

Kiptoo and the Cyclones will be in action at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships on March 12-13 at the Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas.