DURANGO, Colo. — Kiprono Mutai was named as the Most Valuable Player Award for men's cross country at the 2011 Skyhawk Awards Banquet, held April 7 at the Student Union Ballroom.

“Kip has etched his name in our record books with times that will last long after he graduates,” said 11th-year FLC head volleyball coach Ken Flint. “He broke the school record in the 10k by 51 seconds, leading our squad to the fastest team time ever in school history at the 10k distance. His cheerful personality and work ethic adds a lot to the overall dynamics of our group. I look forward to seeing how Kip will lead us in the next two years to places and times that our men's team has not gone to before.”

Mutai, a 5-foot-2 sophomore from Kabusare Secondary School in Bomet, Kenya, was the Skyhawks' fastest runner at five of the six meets in which the team competed in 2010. He set the school record for fastest 10k ever with time of 31:01.87 at Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Ark., on Oct. 16, 2010. He also won FLC's 8k Tom Strandt Memorial Run on Sept. 17, 2010, with a time of 26:55.96.

The Skyhawks finished eighth at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championships and 13th at the NCAA Division II Central Regionals in 2010. The team loses just one senior — USTFCCCA Academic All-American Jeff Hofferber — to graduation.