TERRA HAUTE, Ind. – Edward Cheserek became Oregon’s first freshman ever to claim the NCAA Division I Cross Crountry individual title with a time of 29:41.1. The newcomer from Newark, N.J., by way of Kenya joined an elite group of Oregon champions that include: Steve Prefontaine, Alberto Salazar and Galen Rupp Saturday afternoon.

“He was phenomenal,” head coach Robert Johnsonsaid. “You never want to put that kind of expectations on a freshman but everyone in the nation knew what kind of runner Edward was coming into this race. To be able to run so composed the way he did was just phenomenal.”

"It feels great, I was just running my own race," Cheserek said.