Harrisonburg, VA - Alex Masai added another conference championship to his crowded mantle as the Hofstra men's track runner finished first in the 5000m run at the 2021 Colonial Athletic Association Outdoor Track & Field Championships Saturday afternoon from Sentara Park on the James Madison University campus. With the win, Masai becomes the first Hofstra track runner to win gold at a CAA Track & Field Championship.

A graduate student from Eldoret, Kenya, Masai crossed the finish line with a time of 13:51.48, smashing his own school record in the event and the Sentara Park facility record of 14:41.73 set by Jack Ikenberry of George Mason on April 17, 2021. Masai quickly moved into second at the start of the race before overtaking teammate Paul Markovina at the start of the third lap. The sensational distance runner quickly pulled away from the field as soon as he took the lead, and Masai would finish 24.43 seconds ahead of Northeastern's Cameron Dickson, who won the 10,000m on Friday. Freshman Aiden Willey also ran for Hofstra in the event, and he placed sixth with a time of 15:13.45.

As it stands, Masai's time in the 5000m places him among the Top 30 in the East Region. He moves into 29th, ahead of North Carolina State's Hannes Burger (13:51.86). Those who place in the Top 48 in the East Region qualify for the 2021 NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track & Field East Preliminary, hosted in Jacksonville, Florida on May 27-29.

With Masai and Willey scoring a combined 14 points in the 5000m, Hofstra finished the two-day competition with 19 points, placing them fourth. Northeastern claimed the men's team title for the sixth consecutive year with 291 points, followed by William & Mary in second with 191 points and UNCW took third with 111 points.

The Pride will race once more on May 6 at the West Point Twilight. The competition will be held from Shea Stadium on the Army West Point campus.