Nov. 5, 2009

Center Valley, Pa. — Lehigh junior Evans Kosgei was voted the Patriot League Men's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year, announced Thursday. The Scholar-Athlete of the Year is voted on by cross country sports information directors in the Patriot League.

Kosgei, an integrated business and engineering major who has a 3.96 GPA, is the first Lehigh men's runner to win the prestigious award. 

Kosgei overcame an injury to place second at the Patriot League Championships this season, earning First-Team All-Patriot League honors. He missed training camp after having surgery on his foot in July. 

He was a second team recipient of the Arthur Ashe Award. Kosgei also was one of three student athletes at Lehigh to be honored as a PC Rossin Fellow for outstanding academic success. He has twice earned a 4.0 GPA, with his most recent being last semester. He is a member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, Lehigh Student Athlete Honor Roll and the Dean’s list. 

In 2008, Kosgei earned Second-Team All-League honors with a 12th-place finish at the Patriot League Championship. He followed that up with a 38th-place finish at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region. 

Kosgei came to Lehigh through the KenSAP program (Kenya Scholar-Athlete Program) and originally chose to concentrate solely on academics his freshman year before joining the cross country team. 

To be eligible for the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average and be a starter or key player in his/her sport. Freshmen are not eligible for this honor.