No. 14 NIACC women set to run at regionals

CRESTON - The No. 14 (NJCAA Division II) NIACC women's cross country team will compete in the NJCAA Region 11 Championships on Friday.

The women's 5-kilometer race is slated to start at 4:45 p.m. at the Crestmoor Golf Club. Southwestern CC is the host for the 2023 regional championship meet.

NIACC last competed at the Indian Hills Invitational on Oct. 13 when the Trojans placed fourth with 98 points. No. 6 Southeastern CC was the team champion with 33 points and No. 7 DMACC was second with 35 points.

Southeastern CC and DMACC will also compete in Friday's NJCAA Region 11 Division II competition. The ICCAC Division I and Division II teams run together and results will be separated by division following the race.

At the Indian Hills Invitational, freshman Juliana Droll led the No. 18 (NJCAA Division II) placed 14th with a personal-best time of 20 minutes, 32 seconds on the 5-kilometer course. Droll's previous best collegiate 5K time was  21:18 at the Trent Smith Invitational on Sept. 15.

Droll's 20:32 ranks 20th on the NIACC women's all-time 5K list.

Also for the NIACC at the Indian Hills race, Sarah Lunning was 26th in a personal-best time of 21:42, Cloey Usher was 27th (personal best 21:55), Hannah Lunning was 29th (personal best 22:10), Maggie McBride was 34th (23:43) and Riley DeGonia was 40th (personal best 24:33).

Southeastern CC was the 2022 NJCAA Region 11 Division II team champion with 69 points.