NIACC women set to run at regionals

WATERLOO - The No. 12 NIACC women's cross country team will compete in the NJCAA Region XI championships on Friday at the South Hills Golf Course.

The women's 5-kilometer race is set to begin at 4:45 p.m. The men's 8K race starts at 4 p.m.

NIACC will compete in the Division II portion of the race.

NIACC's Sarah Bertry was the Division II individual regional champion at the 2020 regional meet in Fort Dodge in a time of 19 minutes, 2 seconds. Bertry was the first NIACC female to win an individual regional title since Anna Buenneke won the regional title in 2011.

Buenneke also claimed the regional title in 2010 and Elly Meyer was an individual regional champion in 2005.

At the Indian Hills Invitational on Oct. 15, Bertry placed second in a time of 18:58. Also for the Trojans, Lilly Stockberger was 15th in a personal best time of 21:28, Brianna Ross was 18th in a personal best time of 21:33 and Mercy Melly was 44th in a personal best time of 24:21.

Entering the regional meet, Hawkeye CC is ranked eighth in the NJCAA Division II poll, NIACC is 12th, Southeastern is 16th and DMACC is 19th.

The top four runners in Friday's Division II portion of the meet earn first-team all-region honors. Runners five through eight earn second-team all-region honors and runners nine through 12 will be honorable mention all-region selections.\

The top seven overall runners in the race (Division I and Division II combined) make up the all-ICCAC first-team. Overall runners eight through 14 are second-team all-ICCAC and runners 15 through 21 are honorable mention all-ICCAC.