Rattlers Secure Runner-Up Finish at 2026 SWAC Cross Country Championships
At Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Florida, the Florida A&M women’s cross country team collected a pair of runner-up finishes during the 2026 Southwestern Athletic Conference Championships, FAMU Athletics reported. Led by cross-country head coach Tamika Kinchen, the Rattlers finished just four points behind team champion Alabama A&M, placing four runners inside the top 10.
Junior Rose Muturi paced the Rattlers on Tuesday morning, crossing the finish line with a time of 18:27.9. That mark earned the Nyahururu, Kenya native the first individual runner-up trophy of her career at a SWAC Championship. According to race accounts, Muturi traded strides with Alabama A&M’s Laura Avila at the four-kilometer mark before Avila pulled away over the final kilometer of the 5K course. Avila ultimately claimed the individual title in 18:16.4.
The rivalry at the top was tight across the board. Alabama A&M won the 12-team title with 37 points, edging out FAMU’s 41 points. Texas Southern followed in third place with 93 points, while Alabama State took fourth with 120 points and Jackson State finished fifth with 131 points.
Rattlers Place Five Scorers in Top Thirteen
FAMU built a deep bench behind its lead runners, placing all five scorers within the top 13 and crossing the line within a 46-second window of one another. Christina Fitzpatrick, a graduate student from Michigan City, Indiana, served as the Rattlers’ second scorer, taking seventh place with a time of 18:50.2. Sophomore Leandra Ferrell followed closely in ninth at 18:59.1, while senior Niya Coleman secured 10th place in 18:59.7, finishing just six-tenths of a second behind Ferrell.
Crystal Malaykhan rounded out the scoring five. The freshman from Orlando, Florida—who earned multiple SWAC Newcomer of the Week honors throughout the 2026 campaign—crossed the line in 13th place with a time of 19:13.5. Junior Jaade McBride finished 18th in 19:36.3 as the team’s sixth runner, and freshman Bree Brooks placed 31st with a time of 20:56.9.
Alabama A&M countered with five scorers in the top 16. Alongside Avila, the Bulldogs relied on seniors Sanyae Gibson in fourth and Minka Isom in fifth, freshman Iyndia Bey in 11th, and senior Mariana Bentancourt-Dennard in 16th.
Looking Ahead to Indoor and Outdoor Seasons
Reflecting on the morning, Kinchen pointed to the team’s broader trajectory across the academic year. As reported by WCTV, Kinchen acknowledged the competitive sting of falling just short of the top spot while maintaining an optimistic outlook for the upcoming track schedules.
“Of course first is always better, but again, for what we did today to me that was like first place considering the times. Second today, but indoor and outdoor? I can promise you, it is first.” — Tamika Kinchen, Assistant Coach
Muturi echoed that sentiment regarding the physical toll and preparation required for the championship race. “The early mornings, the ice bath, the preparations, it feels great,” Muturi told WCTV. “We are grateful for the coaches, to the teamwork, and not giving up to.”
The Rattlers now turn their attention to the indoor season, where they will look to defend their conference crown, followed by the outdoor season as they pursue a three-peat.
