kennedy opted to compete for the indiana hoosiers and won 16 big ten conference track titles. in 1988, he won the ncaa men's cross country championship, becoming one of a few true freshman ever to win the event. he won the ncaa 1500 meter championship in 1990 and the ncaa indoor mile championship in 1991. during his senior year, kennedy a second ncaa men's cross country championship and the usatf national cross country championships. he was the second person in history to win both titles in the same year. in fact, nobody had won both titles since al lawrence in 1959 and 1960.