TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Rose Muturi led Florida A&M in time on Tuesday morning, as she and the Rattlers collected a pair of runner-up finishes during the 2026 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Women's Cross Country Championships held at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Florida.
 
As a group, FAMU – led by Cross Country Head Coach Tamika Kinchen, finished just four points back of champion Alabama A&M. Four FAMU runners placed in the top 10.
 
Muturi crossed with a time of 18:27.9 on the day, allowing her the first runner-up trophy at a SWAC Championship of her career. Muturi, a native of Nyahururu, Kenya, Alabama A&M's Laura Avila by less than a second at the four-kilometer mark before Avila pulled away over the final kilometer of the 5K course.
 
"I'm so proud of this group, and I am just happy for the effort and performance they gave today," said Kinchen afterwards. "The team ran so well, and you can see there's so much to build on for the future, and not to mention distance events as the indoor and outdoor seasons roll around here soon."
 
Christina Fitzpatrick, a graduate student from Michigan City, Indiana, was FAMU's second scorer and finished seventh in 18:50.2. Sophomore Leandra Ferrell took ninth in 18:59.1, and senior Niya Coleman was 10th in 18:59.7, just six-tenths of a second behind Ferrell.
 
Crystal Malaykhan, a freshman from Orlando, Florida that has been SWAC Newcomer of the Week throughout the 2026 campaign, completed the scoring five with a 13th-place finish as she crossed the line in 19:13.5.
 
Two more Rattlers finished among the top 31.
 
Junior Jaade McBride placed 18th in 19:36.3 and was FAMU's sixth runner, and freshman Bree Brooks finished 31st in 20:56.9. Their finishes gave FAMU a deep bench behind its top five.
 
All five of FAMU's scorers finished in the top 13, and they crossed the line within 46 seconds of one another.
 
Alabama A&M won the 12-team title with 37 points to FAMU's 41.
 
Texas Southern was third with 93 points, followed by Alabama State (120) and Jackson State (131).
 
The Bulldogs' Avila won the individual title in 18 minutes, 16.4 seconds.
 
Alabama A&M placed all five of its scorers in the top 16. Avila was joined by seniors Sanyae Gibson (fourth) and Minka Isom (fifth), freshman Iyndia Bey (11th) and senior Mariana Bentancourt-Dennard (16th).
 
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Florida A&M Individual Performers
2.         Rose Muturi____________ 18:27.9
7.         Christina Fitzpatrick______ 18:50.2
9.         Leandra Ferrell__________ 18:59.1
10.      Niya Coleman__________ 18:59.7
13.      Crystal Malaykhan_______ 19:13.5
18.      Jaade McBride__________ 19:36.3
31.      Bree Brooks____________ 20:56.9