2019 Men's Cross Country Roster
Biography
Honors
• All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference in 2019
• Two-time GCAC Runner of the Week in 2019 (Sept. 9-15 and Oct. 14-20)
• All-Louisiana in 2019
Briefly
• First year at XULA
2020 Track and Field (Freshman)
• Did not compete; outdoor season was canceled in mid-March because of the COVID-19 pandemic
2019 Cross Country (Freshman)
• Won GCAC individual title and dethroned two-time defending champ Solomon Stevens,
beating the Edward Waters junior by slightly more than two minutes
• Became third freshman in 19 years to win GCAC men's individual title
• Led XULA to GCAC men's team championship and an automatic bid to NAIA nationals
• Opened college career with two straight top-16 finishes
• Best times: 16:25.4 for 5,000 meters, 29:09.0 for 8,000 meters
• Finalist for XULA Male Newcomer of the Year and Athlete of the Year
High School
• Won the UIL 6A District 10 individual title during the
2018 cross country season and led Wylie's Pirates to a repeat team championship
• Followed that 6A-10 performance with a career-best of 15 minutes, 16.55 seconds
for three miles at the Region 2 meet, earning him a ninth-place finish and a spot at the state meet
• 2018 cross country team finished second at regionals and fourth at state meet
• Qualified for the Texas Relays in the 3,200-meter relay during the 2019 outdoor track season
• Best times included 2:03.04 at 800 meters and 4:27.18 in the 1,600
• Academic all-state as a senior
Club
• Earned top-10 finishes for the Texas Jack Rabbits in the 3,000- and 1,500-meter
runs at the 2018 Junior Olympics
Personal
• Earned 50 community service hours while working for Meals on Wheels
• Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Moved to the United States at age 6
