Lansing, Michigan- University of La Verne sophomore TK Berhe made his way back to the NCAA championships for the second time in seven months as he competed in the 2022 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Lansing, Michigan. Last spring Berhe competed in the NCAA Track And Field Championships. After garnering conference and regional awards this season, Berhe qualified for the 2022 championships.

Finishing 132nd out of a field of 294 runners, Berhe talked about competing in the championships and the differences in cross country and track and field. "The experience is totally different. When I went to the NCAA championships for track, there were only the top 20 people in the nation racing in the event and everyone was exceptionally good in the field so it was a little intimidating when I was racing the best of the best in distance running. For Cross Country there was more people so everyone was hectic and nervous. But having so many people cheering around the course clears those nerves and you get lost in the race. The environments are just different."

Head coach Jamie Norton was extremely proud of Berhe qualifying for the championships and knows that he will bring a wealth of knowledge back to the program to share with other runners. "It was very exciting to see TK get the opportunity to compete at the national level in Cross Country. He is the 8th runner in La Verne history to earn that honor as an individual qualifier. He continues to grow and improve each season, and soaks up the experience from every opportunity he gets! TK is constantly working to strengthen and diversify his skills as an athlete, which is part of why he is so successful. It's exciting for him to represent our whole team at that level, and now be able to bring that knowledge back to the rest of the group and help them get there with him next year. It was a great way to end a strong season for our team!"

Results from the 2022 NCAA Cross Country Final can be viewed HERE