Sally Kipyego, Texas Tech and South Plains: Collegiate Athlete Hall of Fame, Class of 2022

Sally Kipyego’s running was record-breaking from the very beginning of her collegiate days. She was the first woman to record a distance triple at the NJCAA Outdoor championships, winning the 1500, 5000 and 10,000 in 2005 while at South Plains (Texas) College. She repeated in all three in 2006, twice in meet-record time.

Her incredible range of talent adapted very well when she moved about 45 miles away to Texas Tech as she won the distance triple crown – titles in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track in the same academic year – in both years she was eligible to do so, 2006-07 and 2007-08. She remains the only man or woman to achieve that accomplishment twice at the NCAA Division I level.

A two-time collegiate record setter in the 10,000, Kipyego’s final NCAA Outdoor meet in 2008 was memorable in shorter distances, beginning with a still-standing meet record in the 5000 of 15:15.08 while winning by 31 seconds. She followed that with a 4:06.67 runner-up finish in the 1500 that was also under the previous CR at the time.

In cross country she became the first woman with three NCAA Division I titles and first woman with four national collegiate titles combining all divisions (she won an NJCAA title while at South Plains).