Former SEC Champion, NCAA Record Holder Passes Away at 28 Years Old

The University of Alabama and the collegiate track community are mourning the loss of Eliud Kipsang, a former NCAA record holder and SEC champion, who passed away Tuesday at the age of 28.

Kipsang made national headlines in April 2022 when he shattered the NCAA record in the men’s 1500-meter, running a blistering 3:33.74 at the Bryan Clay Invitational. 

The performance stood as the fastest in collegiate history until this outdoor season, when Villanova’s Liam Murphy surpassed the mark. 

Kipsang now ranks No. 5 all-time in NCAA outdoor 1500m history.

Beyond the stopwatch, Kipsang’s resume spoke volumes. 

He was the 2021 SEC Cross Country Runner of the Year and helped lead Alabama to an SEC team title in 2022. 

On the national stage, he claimed a runner-up finish in the mile at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships and placed fourth in the 1500m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships that same year—finishing behind elite talents like Cole Hocker, Yared Nuguse, and Waleed Suliman.

His legacy at Alabama remains firmly etched in the record books. 

Kipsang holds three school records in the indoor mile, indoor distance medley relay, and outdoor 1500m, according to Alabama Crimson Tide on SI's Katie Windham.