NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced Caroline Kurgat of the University of Alaska Anchorage is one of eight inductees of the Class of 2025 into the NCAA Division II Athlete Hall of Fame.

Athletes like Caroline Kurgat come around once in a generation. Kurgat burst on the scene in 2017 when she won an individual title at the NCAA DII Cross Country Championships, but put together a Hall-of-Fame résumé in 2019 alone. The former Alaska Anchorage standout, who came to the Last Frontier from Eldoret, Kenya, won four NCAA titles on the track with indoor and outdoor distance doubles, and registered three performances that were either division records or all-conditions bests. Indoors, Kurgat went 15:28.46 over 5,000 meters to become the first NCAA DII female to go sub-16 in the event and nearly set an absolute NCAA DII record in the process. Outdoors, Kurgat obliterated a 31-year-old division record in the 10,000 meters when she ran 32:08.09 at the Stanford Invitational, a mark that still tops the chart to this day.

"I am very excited for Caroline," said former UAA head coach Michael Friess. "She is truly deserving of this recognition. Caroline embodies the spirit of self-transformation, excelling in both her physical and mental well-being while maintaining her remarkable status as an exceptional student, teammate, and responsible citizen. Not all opportunities presented are always grasped or fully utilized. However, Caroline consistently demonstrated gratitude for the opportunities she was given and made the most of them, not only elevating her own achievements but also inspiring those around her. Congratulations, Caroline!"

"Caroline is the embodiment of taking advantage of the opportunities one is given," said head coach Ryan McWilliams. "In hindsight, her induction into the hall of fame seems self-evident and inevitable, but to those of us who had the pleasure of working with her, training with her, knowing her, and seeing her grow; her accomplishments are extremely motivating and inspirational. She did not arrive in Anchorage the best. Not the best in the country, not the best in the region, not the best in the conference, not the best on the team. Her work was diligent.

"She made herself the best, on the team, then the conference, then the region, and then the country. All while remaining true to the wonderful, compassionate, and caring person she is."

Kurgat joins fellow Seawolf Micah Chelimo (2020) in the USTFCCCA Hall of Fame.

The Kurgat File

National Titles – 7

All-American – 14

West Region Team Championship – 1

All-West Region – 23

West Region Athlete of the Year – 3

GNAC Champion – 12

GNAC Team Champions – 3

All-Conference – 20

GNAC Athlete of the Year – 5

GNAC Freshman of the Year – 3

GNAC Most Outstanding Performer – 2

GNAC Athlete of the Meet – 3 

CoSIDA Academic All-American – 1

USTFCCCA Scholar Athlete of the Year – 2

USTFCCCA All-Academic – 7

GNAC All-Academic – 6

GNAC Athlete of the Week – 9

USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week – 7

Bill McKay Athlete of the Year – 2

Collegiate Women in Sports Honda Award – 1

All-Time Div. II records in the 3,000 (indoor), 5,000 (indoor & outdoor) and 10,000 (outdoor)

Alaska Legislative Citation