Oklahoma State University Athletics
Brian Musau wins National Championship in the 5,000 Meters; Cowboys sit in first place after first day of NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships
March 14, 2025 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Oklahoma State Indoor Track & Field team kicked off the first day of the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships on Friday, highlighted by Brian Musau becoming the first Cowboy in program history to win a national title in the 5,000 Meters.
Sophomore standout Brian Musau added yet another trophy to his already legendary Cowboy resume, winning the NCAA Indoor National Championship in the 5,000 Meters with a meet-record time of 13:11.34, which was just shy of his school record.
Musau's title marks the 11th NCAA Individual Champion under Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Dave Smith at OSU and 13th overall, including at least one in each of the last four seasons:
2022 – Taylor Roe (Women's 3,000 Meters)
2023 – Men's DMR & Fouad Messaoudi (Men's 3,000 Meters)
2024 – Men's DMR
2025 – Musau (Men's 5,000 Meters)
Musau sat back for much of the race before exploding to the front with roughly 400 meters to go. He then closed the final 200 meters in a blistering 25.82 seconds to blow past New Mexico's national champion Habtom Samuel around the final corner to take the win. This win marks Musau's first individual Indoor National Championship win after being a member of the winning Cowboy Distance Medley Relay last season, and he will look to add another as he competes in the 3,000 Meter final tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. CT.
"That was a heck of a close," Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Dave Smith said. "25.8 in the last 200 is absolutely flying and a meet record in 13:11 is unbelievable and I'm really proud of him."
Fellow sophomore Denis Kipngetich also took home First Team All-America honors in the 5,000 Meters with his fifth-place time of 13:13.71, which shattered his previous personal best by nearly five seconds overall. Kipngetich and Musau combined to bring home 14 massive points for the Cowboys in the team race as they currently sit in first place overall at the conclusion of the first day of competition.
"I thought both Brian and Denis ran tactically brilliant races," Smith said. "They were calm, patient and poised throughout the race and moved up at the right opportunities. They ran very clean races and Brian put himself in the right position with 400 meters to go."
Also scoring for the Cowboys was the Distance Medley Relay of Alex Stitt, Jordon Smith, Mehdi Yanouri and Ryan Schoppe, who placed sixth overall with a time of 9:20.10. Their sixth-place finish was good enough to give OSU three more team points to propel them into the lead in the last event of the night.
Earlier in the day, Fouad Messaoudi started off the day for the Cowboys in the men's Mile semifinals, placing fifth with a 3:58.04 mark, earning him a qualifying spot in the final tomorrow. Messaoudi, who is the Oklahoma State record holder in the Mile, will look to capture his second individual Indoor National Championship and third title overall in Saturday's final. Laban Kipkemboi accompanied Messaoudi in the Mile prelims, earning Second Team All-American honors with a time of 3:58.72, good for eighth place overall.
Kaylie Politza, the lone Cowgirl at the meet, made her NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships debut, posting a time of 2:02.69 in the women's 800 Meters semifinals, good for fourth best in program history. With this performance, Politza earned Second Team All-American honors, wrapping up her successful 2025 indoor season that also saw her take home All-Big 12 honors and claim the second-best time in the 800 Meters in Cowgirl history.
Musau and Messaoudi will return to the track tomorrow for the second and final day of the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, hoping to propel the Cowboys to a potential top-10 team finish for the third consecutive season.
For more information on the Cowboys and Cowgirls, continue to check back with okstate.com.
Men's Team Scores After Day One
1. Oklahoma State – 17 Points
2. Virginia – 15 Points
T-3. BYU – 10 Points
T-3. Duke – 10 Points
T-3. New Mexico – 10 Points
T-3. Texas – 10 Points
T-3. Texas A&M – 10 Points
T-3. Wyoming – 10 Points
T-3. Arkansas – 10 Points
Men's Individual Results
Mile (Semifinals)
5. Fouad Messaoudi – 3:58.04 - q
8. Laban Kipkemboi – 3:58.72 ***
5,000 Meters (Finals)
1. Brian Musau – 13:11.34 *, **
5. Laban Kipkemboi – 13:13.71 **
Distance Medley Relay (Finals)
6. Alex Stitt, Jordon Smith, Mehdi Yanouri, Ryan Schoppe - 9:20.10 **
Women's Individual Results
800 Meters (Semifinals)
13. Kaylie Politza - 2:02.69 ***
* - Indicates National Champion
** - Indicates First Team All-American honors
*** - Indicates Second Team All-American honors
Players Mentioned
