NIACC set to run at NJCAA national meet

FORT DODGE - The NIACC men's cross country team has placed in the top 15 at the last nine NJCAA Division I national meets.

The Trojans enter Saturday's national meet on the Lakeside Municipal Golf Course ranked 14th and are coming off a second-place finish at the NJCAA Region XI meet on Oct. 29.

The 8-kilometer men's race starts at 11 a.m. with the 5K women's race starting at noon.

The Trojans are one of two ICCAC teams ranked in the top 25. Iowa Central is No. 1 while Hawkeye CC and Southwestern received votes in this week's poll.

At the regional meet in Fort Dodge, NIACC had four runners earn all-region status. Brian Jacques was a first-team selection, Blake Keller was a second-team selection and David Carter and John Kraft were honorable mention selections.

The NIACC men placed ninth at last year's national meet in El Dorado, Kan. The Trojans' highest finish at a national meet was fourth in 2011.

The defending men's national champion is Central Arizona, which won last year's national meet with 49 points. Iowa Central was second with 62 points and South Plains was third with 112 points.

TROJANS AT REGIONALS

NIACC placed second at the NJCAA Region XI meet with 74 points. Iowa Central was the regional champion with 19 points.

Jacques led the Trojans with a third-place finish in 25:38. Keller was ninth in 27:08. Carter was 16th in 27:39 and John Kraft was 24th in 28:05. Also in the top seven for the Trojans were Daniel Hennigar (30th in 28:33), Jacob Hansen (31st in 28:36) and Canyon Kuhlmann (37th in 28:49).

NIACC AT 2016 NATIONALS

NIACC placed ninth with 380 points. Wal Khat led the Trojans with a 17th place finish in 25:41. Other counting scores for the Trojans were Zach Freund (55th in 26:49), Keller (81st in 27:15), Jose Aguilera (117th in 27:47) and Colby Kraninger (135th in 28:02).

2017 NIACC MEN'S 8K SEASON BESTS

Brian Jacques                        25:17               Trent Smith Invite   10-13-17

Blake Keller                           26:05               Trent Smith Invite   10-13-17

John Kraft                             26:48               Les Duke Invite               9-9-17

David Carter                         27:19               Trent Smith Invite   10-13-17

Samuel Dean                        27:22               Les Duke Invite               9-9-17

Jacob Hansen                       27:22               St. Ambrose Invite   10-7-17

Daniel Hennigar                    27:47               Trent Smith Invite   10-13-17

Tyler Crawford                     28:29               Trent Smith Invite   10-13-17

Canyon Kuhlmann                28:38               Trent Smith Invite   10-13-17

Grant Dieken                       28:45               Trent Smith Invite   10-13-17

Logan Dalbeck                     28:54               Les Duke Invite               9-9-17

Akahnni Delgado                 29:12               NJCAA Region XI 10-29-17

Hunter Filloon                     29:21                Trent Smith Invite 10-13-17

Tyson Stromer                    29:28                Trent Smith Invite 10-13-17