Cougar Runners Claim Fourth Straight PBC Title Behind Koyiaki

Pembroke, NC -- Despite having solid credentials and the league's top runner, many wondered if Columbus State could put together a good enough team finish to claim its fourth straight Peach Belt Conference championship.

Meshack Koyiaki and his teammates answered that question with an exclamation point on Saturday.

Men's PBC Co-Runner of the Year Koyiaki breezed to the men's individual title, leading five Cougar runners in the top 10 finishers, and CSU claimed that fourth consecutive championship.

Four runners broke away from the pack of the men's race and were together for the first two miles, but in the end Koyiaki maintained the pace the best and won the Individual Championship in a time of 24:38, the second-fastest 8k ever run at a PBC Championship.

Koyiaki held off UNC Pembroke's Pardon Ndhlovu, who was second in 24:57, the best finish for a UNCP's mens runner ever in the PBC Championship. CSU's Nicholas Kering finished third in 25:44 with Clayton State's Fidelis Mutiso fourth with a 26:23.

CSU placed all five of their scoring runners in the top 10. The Cougars finished with 24 points as a team, their lowest score of the four championships.

Clayton State finished second with 49 points with Mutiso coming in fourth followed by Stephen Bowers in seventh and Joey Chino in 10th. The Lakers, the last team other than CSU to win a PBC title, finish as the runner-up for the third year in a row.

Host UNC Pembroke finished third, their best result since 2005, while North Georgia was fourth and GCSU fifth.

The top five runners earned first-team All-Conference with the second five placed on the second team. The PBC Freshman of the year was the fastest true freshman in the field.

2009 Men's Cross Country
All-Conference Team

First Team

Meshack Koyiaki, Columbus State

Pardon Ndhlovu, UNC Pembroke

Nicholas Kering, Columbus State

Fidelis Mutiso, Clayton State

Stewart Helton, Columbus State

Second Team

David Marley, Columbus State

Stephen Bowers, Clayton State

Tyler Mattix, North Georgia

John Neill, Columbus State

Joey Chino, Clayton State

Freshman of the Year: Pardon Ndhlovu, UNC Pembroke

Related Item: Box Score