Photo by: Ryley Collom
Mulugeta Claims Big West Male Cross Country Athlete of the Week
9/8/2026 3:23:00 PM | Cross Country & Track
IRVINE, Calif. – Sophomore transfer Yemane Mulugeta was named the Big West Male Cross Country Athlete of the Week after winning the USF Invite in San Francisco on Sept. 4.
Mulugeta took first place in a field of 189 runners representing more than 15 schools, crossing the finish line in 23:52.8 in the 8K race. The performance marked a personal best for Mulugeta and his first race in a CBU uniform.
Mulugeta faced strong competition throughout the race, with regionally ranked programs Stanford and Santa Clara among the field. He remained with the lead pack through the opening 4K before making his move to the front. Mulugeta took the lead around the 4K mark and maintained his position through the finish to secure the individual title.
The Trinity Western transfer previously competed at the NAIA level, where he recorded four first-place finishes and placed fourth overall at the U Sports Cross Country Championships.
Mulugeta will look to build on his strong start to the season as he helps the nationally ranked Lancers compete for a Big West title and a berth at the NCAA Championships.
CBU will have more than a week off before returning to competition on Sept. 19. The teams will split that weekend, with approximately 20 runners traveling to Indiana for the John Nichols Invitational at the NCAA Cross Country Championships course, while the remainder of the teams will compete locally at the UCR Invite.
Mulugeta took first place in a field of 189 runners representing more than 15 schools, crossing the finish line in 23:52.8 in the 8K race. The performance marked a personal best for Mulugeta and his first race in a CBU uniform.
Mulugeta faced strong competition throughout the race, with regionally ranked programs Stanford and Santa Clara among the field. He remained with the lead pack through the opening 4K before making his move to the front. Mulugeta took the lead around the 4K mark and maintained his position through the finish to secure the individual title.
The Trinity Western transfer previously competed at the NAIA level, where he recorded four first-place finishes and placed fourth overall at the U Sports Cross Country Championships.
Mulugeta will look to build on his strong start to the season as he helps the nationally ranked Lancers compete for a Big West title and a berth at the NCAA Championships.
CBU will have more than a week off before returning to competition on Sept. 19. The teams will split that weekend, with approximately 20 runners traveling to Indiana for the John Nichols Invitational at the NCAA Cross Country Championships course, while the remainder of the teams will compete locally at the UCR Invite.
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country & Track
Wednesday, August 17
Saturday, October 30
Thursday, October 01
Thursday, September 10
