Nine male athletes, nine female competitors have opportunity to race at fifth Division 1 final, taking advantage of extra season of eligibility provided by NCAA as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, many racing at both championships this year

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

More than three decades after Saturday Night Live first recognized the achievement of the Five-Timers Club, with Tom Hanks hosting the show for the fifth time in 1990 to become part of an elite group of 21 veteran hosts who have reached that milestone in the series history, the NCAA Division 1 Cross Country Championships will showcase its own rare collection of five-time participants Saturday at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Fla.

As a result of the combined fall and winter cross country season that culminated in the Division 1 championship meet March 15 in Stillwater, Okla., not counting against the eligibility of student-athletes, 18 competitors will have an opportunity to join their own Five-Timers Club, becoming the first, and likely, only individuals to earn this honor in NCAA history.

Nine male athletes entered in the 10-kilometer race at 11:10 a.m. EST have the potential to race in a fifth NCAA cross country championship, including three who competed for the first time at the Division 1 final in 2016.

Michigan State’s Morgan Beadlescomb, Iowa State’s Thomas Pollard and Wisconsin’s Olin Hacker all appeared at their first NCAA championship meet five years ago at the LaVern Gibson course in Terre Haute, Ind.

Colorado’s Eduardo “Lalo” Herrera, Iona’s Ehab El-Sandali, Syracuse’s Joe Dragon and Washington’s Tibebu Proctor have also lined up to race four times previously at the Division 1 final, all making their first appearances in 2017 at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer Park in Louisville, Ky.

Florida State’s Ahmed Muhumed will be able to celebrate his fifth championship race on his home course at Apalachee Regional Park. Muhumed competed from 2017-19 at Boise State, racing in three Division 1 cross country finals, before participating March 15 for Florida State at the championship held at Oklahoma State.

Arkansas’ Amon Kemboi has also represented two teams during his collegiate career, competing for Campbell at the 2017-19 cross country finals, before earning All-America honors for the Razorbacks in March with his 11th-place performance in Stillwater, less than 48 hours after finishing fourth in the 3,000-meter final at the Division 1 indoor championship meet at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville.

Nine female competitors in the 6-kilometer race at 10:20 a.m. EST will also have an opportunity to make their fifth appearances in Tallahassee.

Lynsie Gram of Michigan State participated in her first national final in 2015 at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer Park in Louisville, Ky., and will continue her trend of racing only in odd years, also competing in 2017, 2019 and now twice in 2021.

Stanford’s Christina Aragon is the lone student-athlete in the group who participated in the 2016 national final.

Minnesota’s Abby Kohut-Jackson went from being a walk-on competitor in 2017 to appearing in her fifth national championship race, with Brigham Young’s Sara Musselman, Iowa State’s Cailie Logue and Washington’s Allie Schadler also having the potential to participate for the fifth time Saturday.

North Carolina State’s Dominique Clairmonte is among the Wolfpack’s entries and has raced four times at the Division 1 national championship meet, but she did not compete at the Southeast Regional, so her status for Saturday’s final is uncertain.

Colorado’s Rachel McArthur has competed for a pair of teams in her previous four national finals appearances, racing for Villanova in 2017 and 2018, before representing the Buffaloes in 2019 and again in March.

Arkansas’ Krissy Gear has also represented two teams during her collegiate career, racing for Furman at the 2017-19 national finals, before competing for the Razorbacks in March, earning All-America recognition with her 21st-place finish, two days after she placed second in the mile and contributed to a runner-up finish in the distance medley relay at the Division 1 indoor final in Fayetteville.

Although she is only competing in her third NCAA cross country championship race, Summer Allen of Weber State has competed twice this year after making her first Division 1 finals appearance in 2013. Allen was an All-American in March following a seventh-place finish.

She will be competing Saturday with her husband Christian Allen, a 2019 All-American at Weber State after a 14th-place finish at LaVern Gibson.