NIACC men place third at regionals
CRESTON - The No. 14 NIACC men's cross country team placed third at the NJCAA Region 11 Division II championships Friday at the Crestmoor Golf Club.
NIACC earned its third-place finish with 55 points. No. 13 Southeastern was the Division II regional champion with 39 points and No. 8 DMACC placed second with 40 points.
NIACC was led by sophomore Breyden Christensen, who placed third in a time of 27 minutes and 21 seconds. The Trojans' Owen Almelien was fifth in a time of 27:23.
Christensen (first-team) and Almelien (second-team) earned all-region honors. Christensen also earned all-region honors during his freshman season.
Christensen and Almelien also both earned honorable mention all-conference honors for placing in the top 21 overall (Division I and Division II combined). Christensen placed 17th overall and Almelien was 21st overall.
Southwestern's Chase Oates was the Division II regional champion in a time of 26:49.
Also for the Trojans, Joey Ringo was 14th in 28:40, Jacob Vais was 18th in 29:29 and Bryson Canton was 21st in 29:53.
NIACC's Chris Marroquin was 22nd (29:56), Eli Bergman was 23rd (30:06), Vlad Starrett was 25th (30:30), Hugo Massa was 28th (31:36) and Ryan Kelly was 31st in 32:21.
NJCAA Region 11 Division II standings - Southeastern CC 39, DMACC 40, NIACC 55, Hawkeye CC 105.
