Cougar Athletics
30 NAIA National Championships
95 GSAC Championships
...and counting

THIS YEAR: Perhaps the finest distance runner in the NAIA, junior Aron Rono is the reigning NAIA cross country champion who has his eyes set on becoming only the second person ever to win 3 straight NAIA 10,000 titles … Is also the NAIA’s reigning champ in the indoor mile and 3000 … Is already an 8-time NAIA champion … Holds 4 Azusa Pacific records.

2007: Put together the finest season ever by a Cougar distance runner, breaking 4 school records while registering 6 NAIA titles, including 2 as an anchor on relays … Led Azusa Pacific to its fifth NAIA indoor national championship by winning the mile (school-record 4:06.91) and 5000 (14:22.45) and then anchoring the distance medley relay to victory (10:06.11) … For his effort, was named the Most Outstanding Male Performer of the NAIA Indoor Championship Meet … At the NAIA Outdoor Championships in Fresno, Calif., successfully defended his NAIA 10,000-meter crown (30:47.25) … Finished fourth in the 1500 (3:48.43) and anchored Azusa Pacific to an unprecedented fifth straight 4x800 title (7:30.70) … Won the GSAC 1500 championship (3:48.60) … Set the school record in the 10,000 meters with a 28:50.81 at the Stanford Invitational … Broke the school-record in the 1500 with a 3:43.25 at the Occidental Invitational and used a 14:11.67 at the Mt. SAC Relays to establish a school record in the 5000.

CROSS COUNTRY: Is the reigning NAIA men’s cross country champion, becoming the first Cougar ever to capture the NAIA crown when he clocked a 23:52 over the 8K course in Kenosha, Wis., at the 2007 NAIA Championship Meet, beating his nearest opponent by 32 seconds … Is a 3-time All-American in cross country, finishing no lower than third in any of the NAIA championship meets … Is also a 2-time reigning GSAC and NAIA regional champ … Has won 10 of the 12 meets he has raced in his 2-year Cougar career … Owns a school-record 23:13 that he clocked at the 2007 Stanford Invitational.

LINDENWOOD: Competed at NAIA member Lindenwood University of St. Charles, Mo., during his 2006 freshman season ... Was the NAIA runner-up at the national cross country championship meet in Louisville, Ky., clocking a 23:55 to finish second behind then teammate and fellow Kenyan Siomo Kiplagat (23:49) ... Was also second to Kiplagat at the NAIA regional meet, running a 23:59 … In track & field was a 2-time NAIA champion ... At the indoor championships, won the mile (4:11.37) and was second in the 3000 (8:24.33) ... Nearly pulled off a unique double victory at the NAIA Outdoor Championships, first winning the 10,000 meters (29:43.34) before coming back 2 nights later to finish second in the 5000 (14:32.38).

HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Kurgung Boys High School in Kapsabet, Kenya.

PERSONAL: Born Nov. 1, 1982, in Kenya … Parents are Jackson (farmer) and Leah (farmer) Towei ... Is 1 of 9 children ... Brother is Julius Randich, a former 7-time NAIA champion out of Lubbock Christian University and current record holder in the NAIA 5000 (13:41.81) and 10,000 (28:16.95) ... Majoring in political science.

RONO BESTS at AZUSA PACIFIC

Year     Mile      1500      5000      10,000
2007   4:06.91   3:43.25   14:11.67   28:50.81