SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Sun Belt Conference announced that Texas State's Kwanele Mthembu has been named the Sun Belt Men's Newcomer of the Year in a poll of league coaches.
A transfer from Cloud County (Kan.) Community College, Mthembu joined the Bobcats last January. He earned First-Team All-Conference honors after finishing in third place at the Sun Belt Cross Country Championships with a time of 24:25.2 (8K).
His third-place finish led Texas State to its best team finish at the Sun Belt Championships in four years.
During the regular season, he competed in the John McDonnell Memorial Race at the Arkansas Chile Pepper Festival and finished in fifth place with a time of 23:52.