University of Maryland Eastern Shore men’s cross country senior Banele Mkabela led the Hawks with a 74th-place finish in the 10K at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships Friday in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Mkabela completed the race in 31:25.07.
Four University of Maryland Eastern Shore men’s cross country student-athletes competed in the regional championships. Junior Nkanyezi Ziqubu finished 92nd in his NCAA Division I regional debut with a time of 31:52.06, while senior Siyabonga Mbatha placed 130th and freshman Kaelan Wallace finished 185th. Wallace also made his regional debut.
University of Maryland Eastern Shore Men’s Cross Country Results
Mkabela and Mbatha made their second appearances at the regional championships. In 2025, Mkabela finished 81st in 31:39.01, while Mbatha placed 94th in 31:47.01.
Before transferring to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Ziqubu finished 47th at the NJCAA Cross Country Championships in his final postseason appearance at the junior college level. During the 2026 regular season, Ziqubu won the UMES Invitational, while Mkabela won the Don Cathcart Invitational hosted by Salisbury University.
Hawks Earn All-MEAC Honors
The Hawks entered the regional championships after finishing third at the MEAC Championships. Mkabela, Mbatha and Ziqubu each earned All-MEAC honors after finishing among the conference’s top 15 runners.
MSB Analysis
Mkabela paced University of Maryland Eastern Shore men’s cross country with his 74th-place 10K finish. Ziqubu recorded his NCAA Division I regional debut, while Wallace made his regional debut, and the Hawks also received All-MEAC performances from Mkabela, Mbatha and Ziqubu.
Source: Original report
