Grizzly Men Take Team Title Behind Otim’s Performance, Women Take Third at Terry Masterson Twilight

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – For a third straight season, a Grizzly on the men’s cross country squad won the individual title at Hutchinson’s Terry Masterson Twilight Classic on Friday evening at Fun Valley Sports Complex.

Butler freshman Emmanuel Otim wins the individual title at the 2024 Terry Masterson Twilight Classic in Hutchinson. Photo Courtsey: Billy Watson/Hutchinson CC
Butler freshman Emmanuel Otim wins the individual title at the 2024 Terry Masterson Twilight Classic in Hutchinson. Photo Courtsey: Billy Watson/Hutchinson CC
August 30, 2024

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – For a third straight season, a Grizzly on the men's cross country squad won the individual title at Hutchinson's Terry Masterson Twilight Classic on Friday evening at Fun Valley Sports Complex.

Freshman Emmanuel Otim (Kikube, Uganda) ran the four-mile race in 19:48.0 to take first and help the Grizzly men win the team title. Otim joins Adem Bouldjadj (2023) and Rodgers Rotich (2022), forming a Grizzly three-peat at the Masterson Classic.

Itumeleng Ngxabazi (20:04.9) came in third on the men's side followed by Bhekizulu Khumalo (20:21.6) in sixth, Sfiso Makolomakwa (20:40.9) in 11th and Kamohelo Ramatsebe (20:45.1) in 13th. The Grizzly men had a score of 34 and an average time of 20:20, finishing ahead of Hutchinson, Wichita State and Northwest Kansas.

On the women's side, freshman Elizabeth Hernandez (Tlaxcala, Mexico) finished second in the three-mile race running it in 18:33.5. The Grizzly women took third as a team finishing behind first place Wichita State and second place Hutchinson. Jesica Mbhamali (19:04.8) came in eighth for Butler followed by Alison Unruh (19:11.0) in 10th.

Click here for the full results.