Evans Kurui kicked off the season with a course-record time Friday at the Cougar Classic, carrying his strong momentum from last season.

Kurui, a sophomore on the cross-country team at WSU, posted a time of 22:22 in the 8K. With the performance, he became the first person in program history to win the NCAA Division I National Athlete of the Week award twice, winning it last season as well.

Entering this season, Kurui had already compiled a list of accolades. As a freshman, he recorded a course-record win at the NCAA West Regional. He was also named the WCC Co-runner of the Year and was a three-time WCC Runner of the Week. His performance in the 2024 season qualified him for nationals, where he placed No. 36 overall.

Kurui’s awards line up with his training, as he trains three times a day, with one of those times being at 3 a.m. Despite his accomplishments up to this point, he believes his strides will get bigger this season.

“Wait for good results, especially for nationals,” Kurui said. “I do not fear anybody else, that is why I am more prepared to win.”

After graduating from high school in 2020, Kurui spent his time during the days of COVID-19 training at home in Kenya. Once everything settled, he planned to take his talents to the U.S. to continue his running career. Although he had other offers, he chose to attend WSU, saying Pullman reminds him of home.

One of his priorities is mental focus and said physical preparation goes hand in hand with controlling the mind.

“Most of the guys, they feel they were so nervous. Me, I am not nervous,” Kurui said.

Kurui has high expectations for himself this season, but is aiming for something bigger in the long run. He said he will continue training for the next three years to reach the international level and compete in the next Olympics. He has focused on investing in himself and said that trusting yourself is the key to winning.

“This is like preparation for the 2028 Olympics,” he said. “I am preparing for [the] future, right?”

Kurui wants to continue paving a path that no one else has yet at WSU and said he is excited to push others to improve, even after he graduates.

“By the time I graduate, I am going to give other people the chance to say ‘I want to be like Evans,’” Kurui said.

The Cougars’ next stop is Gans Creek Classic on Sept. 26 in Missouri.