MACON, Ga. - On October 24, 2025, at the picturesque Georgia Premier Cross Country Course, freshman runner Cynthia Koech of Lane College delivered a standout performance to claim the individual title at the SIAC Women's Cross-Country Championship. She crossed the finish line in 19 minutes, 31.6 seconds, earning first place in the 5 km event and asserting herself as the conference's top runner.
Koech's win helped the Lane College's women's team finish third overall as a squad in the championship meet — a strong showing that underscores their depth and the leadership she provided.
The team scores read as follows:
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Albany State – 44 points
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Tuskegee – 57 points
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Lane College – 72 points
Koech's championship isn't an overnight achievement — it's been a season of steadily rising performances. Early on, she earned multiple weekly honors from the SIAC:
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On Sept. 23, she was named Women's Runner of the Week after finishing 8th overall and as the top Division II runner at the Michael Pretorius Memorial, with a time of 19:26.2.
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A week later (Sept. 30) she received the honor again after winning the Topper Trails Classic with a time of 19:15.66 and helping Lane to a 3rd-place team finish.
These accolades foreshadowed her championship performance — she arrived at Macon with confidence and the mental grit of a competitor hardened by success.