BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Four student-athletes from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's cross country program competed at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships Friday afternoon in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Senior Banele Mkabela led the Hawks with a 74th-place finish in the 10K, crossing the finish line in 31:25.07. Junior Nkanyezi Ziqubu placed 92nd in his NCAA Division I regional debut with a time of 31:52.06. Senior Siyabonga Mbatha finished 130th, while freshman Kaelan Wallace rounded out the lineup in 185th. Wallace also made his regional debut.

Mkabela and Mbatha made their second appearances at the regional championships. In 2025, Mkabela finished 81st with a time of 31:39.01, while Mbatha placed 94th in 31:47.01. Before transferring to UMES, Ziqubu placed 47th at the NJCAA Cross Country Championships in his final postseason appearance at the junior college level.

During the 2026 regular season, Ziqubu claimed first place at the UMES Invitational, while Mkabela won the Don Cathcart Invitational hosted by Salisbury University.

The Hawks entered the regional championships following a third-place finish at the MEAC Championships. Mkabela, Mbatha and Ziqubu each earned All-MEAC honors after finishing among the conference's top 15 runners.

For updates on UMES cross country and track and field, visit UMESHawkSports.com and follow the team on X (@UMESHawkTFXC) and Instagram (@umeshawktfxc)