Eastern Kentucky University’s Brighter Jepchumba was named the ASUN Female Track Performer of the Week, while Hamish Murray earned ASUN Male Freshman of the Week honors, according to an April 22 announcement from the league office.
These awards recognize recent performances by both athletes in collegiate track and field competitions. The honors highlight their achievements during a competitive outdoor season.
Jepchumba, a freshman from Uasingishu County, Kenya, broke Eastern Kentucky University’s record in the outdoor 5,000 meters at the Wake Forest Invitational in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She finished with a time of 15:28.09. This performance currently stands as the 12th fastest time in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) this season. Earlier this year, Jepchumba won the 5,000 meters at the ASUN Indoor Championships and has also posted a time of 32:40.65 in the outdoor 10,000 meters—ranking second fastest in school history and 23rd fastest nationally for this spring.
Murray was recognized as ASUN Freshman of the Week after winning his heat of the men’s 1,500 meters at Wake Forest with a personal-best time of 3:46.80. This mark is presently ranked tenth overall in the conference and is noted as being “the fastest by a freshman in the league so far this season.” Murray is originally from Tauranga, New Zealand and contributed to EKU’s gold medal-winning distance medley relay team that set a new record at this year’s indoor championships.
This is Murray’s second recognition as ASUN Freshman of the Week during this outdoor season.
