Nicholas Kiprotich

ALiberty Men’s Tennis Media Day on September 25th, 2023. (Photo by Cassidy Paxton)

Class:
Junior
Position:
Distance
Height:
5-9
Hometown:
Eldoret, Kenya
Prev School:
Makongi High School (Iowa Western Community College)

CUSA Individual Titles (1)

2024 Outdoor 10K

All-CUSA Honors (5)

2023 Cross Country - 7th
2024 Outdoor 5K - 3rd
2024 Outdoor 10K - 1st
2024 Cross Country - 7th
2025 Outdoor 10K - 3rd

All-ASUN Honors (1)

2022 Cross Country - 3rd

2024 Outdoor Track & Field (R-So.)

CUSA 10K champion bounced back to earn all-conference honors with a third-place 5K finish
Recorded a season-best 30:21.86 in the Bryan Clay Invitational 10K

2023-24 Indoor Track & Field (Jr.)

Scored CUSA points in both the 3K (sixth place) and 5K (seventh)
Fastest 3K of the season was an 8:22.82 at the Penn State National Open

2023 Cross Country (Jr.)

Liberty’s top finisher at each of his last four races, closed out by a 113^th-place showing in his NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships debut
Earned his ticket to the national meet with a 17^th-place effort at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships that netted all-region recognition. His regional 10K time of 29:32.5 ranks No. 4 in program history.
The Flames’ lone first team All-CUSA performer, following a seventh-place conference finish
Placed third at the Eye Opener and fourth at the Paul Short Run to begin his junior season, earning CUSA Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week honors on Oct. 3

2023 Outdoor Track & Field (So.)

The only race he was able to finish during an injury-shortened outdoor season was the Raleigh Relays 5K (14:24.96).

2022-23 Indoor Track & Field (So.)

Came in sixth in the ASUN 5K (season-best 14:21.19) and ninth in the 3K
Won the Bob Pollock Invitational 5K and ran a season-best 8:18.03 in the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational 3K

2022 Cross Country (So.)

Earned all-region accolades with his team-best 16^th-place finish at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships, clocking 30:08.7 for the 10K
First team All-ASUN performer after finishing third at the ASUN Championship in an 8K personal-best 23:30.8 (No. 4 in program history)
Liberty’s top finisher in all five of his races, he began his time as a Flame as the individual champion at both the Liberty Challenge and Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational

Previous School

Attended Iowa Western Community College for one year (2021-22)
Recorded four top-10 finishes at NJCAA national championship events, taking second in the indoor 5K, third in the outdoor 10K, fourth in cross country and seventh in the outdoor 5K
Top times included 8:27.65 (3K), 14:22.87 (5K), 29:41.98 (10K) and 23:58 (cross country 8K)

Prep

Graduated from Makongi High School

Personal

Son of Levy and Susan Tuwei
Birthday is June 3
Sport management major

Student-Athlete Q&A
What made Liberty University the right place for you to attend college/compete at the collegiate level?
I wanted to grow spiritually and athletically.

Is there anything special you do pregame or postgame and why?
I do 20 minutes of stretching postgame.

Who in your life inspires you and why are they such an inspiration?
Eliud Kipchoge. He is talented as well as a good mentor.

What is your most memorable athletic moment/accomplishment?
My first ASUN championship cross country race.

If you picked your jersey/uniform number, why is that number important to you?
I would pick three since it is a lucky number for me.

Do you have any relatives who are playing or have played college or professional sports? (Names, relation to you, what/where they played)?
Ally Kipchirchir- liberty track and field

Favorite meal (breakfast/lunch/dinner) and what is that special meal?
I would pick ugali for dinner special meal is Kenyan made pilau with chapati.

What is the first app you check on your phone each day?
The Bible.

What is your favorite hobby outside of athletics?
I would say playing soccer.

Do you have any current pets (name and type of animal)?
We have Cows.

Who was your favorite athlete growing up?
It is Eliud Kipchoge.

What is your favorite possession and why?
My Bible. Its a gift from my grandmother

What is your dream vacation spot and why?
I want to go to Singapore.