Kansas junior Emmah Jemutai was named the Big 12 women’s track and field performer of the year in a poll of league coaches revealed on Thursday afternoon.
“We’re really excited about Emmah and all of the hard work she has put in,” KU coach Stanley Redwine said in a press release. “She represents the program incredibly, and not just from the things she’s doing on the track, but because she is such an amazing person that is always making everyone around her better. She is incredibly coachable and is always smiling and making people around her smile.”
Jemutai is the first Jayhawk to receive the honor since Sharon Lokedi in 2017. It comes after she won conference titles in both the women’s 800- and 1,500-meter races at the league’s outdoor championship in Tucson, Arizona, on Sunday.
It was the second straight league title in the 1,500 for the native of Eldoret, Kenya, and it came down to the wire as she beat Oklahoma State’s Billah Jepkirui by half a second; both runners came in ahead of a quintet of BYU participants, including decorated freshman Jane Hedengren, who were all separated by less than four seconds. Jemutai’s time of four minutes, 9.66 seconds was both a season best and a facility record for Roy P. Drachman Stadium.
She then proceeded to win the 800 at 2:05.90, which was 0.16 seconds ahead of Iowa State’s Makayla Clark. It is the first time someone has won both the 800 and 1,500 in a single Big 12 Championship since 2001.
“She executed the race plan this past weekend to a T and was really on point with everything she did because of how coachable and easy to work with she is; her and coach (Michael) Whittlesey did a great job,” Redwine added in the release. “We’re very proud of her and this is definitely a special recognition for a special kind of athlete and person.”
Over the course of the school year, Jemutai has also competed in the national cross-country championships, won the 1,500 at the LSU Battle on the Bayou and won the 800 at the Bryan Clay Invitational.
Next up for Jemutai and the Jayhawks is NCAA West Regional competition at Arkansas beginning on Wednesday.
