He could’ve gone anywhere. How this runner ended up at WSU and shattered a record
When Elkana Kipruto entered the NCAA transfer portal following a breakout freshman year, he was the kind of runner Wichita State cross country coach Kirk Hunter usually doesn’t even bother to think about.
Runners like that typically don’t end up in Wichita, at least, that’s what Hunter thought.
Then came the surprise, and the laugh Hunter still lets out when he tells the story.
“We didn’t really find him,” Hunter said. “He found us.”
Kipruto, now a sophomore for the Shockers, could’ve gone just about anywhere after he racked up four Southland Conference running titles during his freshman year at Stephen F. Austin. But fate, and a friend, steered him to the Shockers.
Unbeknownst to Hunter, he had already recruited one of Kipruto’s childhood friends from Kenya, Kelvin Kipyego, in WSU’s 2025 class. When Kipyego vouched for the Shockers, the decision became easy. Kipruto, or “Elly” as he’s known on the team, trusted his friend and soon Wichita State had quietly landed one of the most talented distance runners in the country.
“It was almost disbelief,” Hunter said. “With that kind of talent, he can go anywhere he wants. Everybody in the country would want that guy. So the fact that he’s here and running for us, we’re extremely thankful. Because he’s not just a fabulous runner, he’s a fabulous individual too.”
A record-breaking arrival for Wichita State star runner
Just five years after taking up running in Kenya, Kipruto has already rewritten the program’s record books. In his most recent race, the Pre-National Invitational on Oct. 17 at Gans Creek in Columbia, Mo., he shattered WSU’s 8,000-meter record by an astonishing 45 seconds, finishing in 22 minutes, 45 seconds.
He placed runner-up, just one second behind Florida’s Kelvin Cheruiyot and ahead of Arkansas standout Timothy Chesondin, a former National Runner of the Week. Hunter believes with a slightly earlier move down the stretch, Kipruto could have won outright.
“We knew the talent level that he was at, that’s never been a question,” Hunter said. “I’ve actually been asking him to hold back so far this season. We wanted to make sure he didn’t overdo it early. But when I let him go, man, he really went for it.”
The Shockers haven’t had a men’s runner qualify for the NCAA Championships since 1992. They haven’t had an All-American since the same year.
Hunter believes both of those goals are realistic.
“Based on the things I’ve seen, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be vying for All-American positioning at the national meet,” Hunter said. “Our region is extremely tough, so we’ve got to get there first. But with the level he’s running at and the people he’s beating, I don’t see why we would think anything differently.”
The next step in that journey comes Saturday at the American Conference Championship in Concord, N.C. The men’s 8K goes off at 8:15 a.m. Central on ESPN+. Two weeks later, the NCAA Midwest Regional looms in Stillwater, Okla. and if Kipruto advances, he would return to Gans Creek for the NCAA Championships on Nov. 22.
A rising star with a humble heart for the Shockers
What makes Kipruto’s story even more remarkable is how humble he is given his talent.
Hunter describes him as someone who quietly picks up trash after practice, helps teammates clean up the locker room and thanks the training staff after workouts.
Kipruto shrugs off the compliments with a smile.
“Wichita is a good place to be,” he said. “It’s a good place to train. I like the program and (Hunter) is one of the best coaches I’ve had. And training with (Kipyego) again is exciting. I really love it here.”
Hunter compares Kipruto’s mindset to a WSU legend, Aliphine Tuliamuk, a two-time All-American cross country runner who went on to compete in the Olympics.
“He is very intelligent with his running and his training,” Hunter said. “He knows when to push and when not to push. He keeps everything under control, then when he goes, he goes. That takes a running IQ that a lot of people don’t have. He has this mentality of, ‘I’m not going to lose.’ It’s as simple as that.”
For Hunter, coaching Kipruto isn’t just fun — it’s a responsibility.
The longtime WSU distance coach knows what kind of athlete he is working with and with that comes pressure. Pressure not to waste a rare talent. Pressure to build a program worthy of it. Pressure to make sure Kipruto fulfills his vast potential.
“Elly coming here has made everybody improve their level,” Hunter said. “That includes me because you have to become a better coach to make sure you do the job they need from you to become the success they want to be. I can’t be the person that lets him down when he is as talented as he is.”
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