Cross Country posts impressive finish at NJCAA National Meet

Heartland Community College’s Cross Country teams placed near the top at the NJCAA DII National Championship Meet in Tallahassee, Florida. 

The Men’s Cross-Country team posted second place and the Women’s Cross Country team finished third in the National Championship Meet. 

The Men’s Cross-Country team placed second out of the 28 teams. Noah Penry placed 7^th, the best finish time ever for the men’s team at a national meet, out of 219 runners. Penry was named a United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-American, for the second time as a Heartland Hawks runner. 

Hawk Balin Doud finished in 12^th place followed by teammates Briar Nevills (17^th place), Hunter Roedell (25^th place), and Nathan DeMarb (29^th place). Doud, Nevills, Roedell, and DeMarb were also named All-American and All-Region selections. 

The Women’s Cross Country team placed third out of 28 teams. Taylor Joop, placed 7^th, the best finish time ever for the women’s team at a national meet, out of 218 cementing the Hawk’s third-place victory. Joop was named an All-American and is one of five HCC women on the All-Region Team. 

Runners Addysen Clark (30^th place), Katie Geisz (31^st place), Kalei McDaniel (32^nd place), and Elle Knapp (33^rd place), were also named USTFCCCA All-American and All-Region teams for the Hawks alongside Joop. Hawk Grace Spoonhour finished in 45^th place and was named an All-Region runner. 

The HCC Hawks now have 11 Cross Country All-Americans over the past 3 seasons. 

Rounding out the successful running season Head Coach Ty Wolf was named STFCCCA Division II Men’s and Women’s Coach of the Year-Midwest Region. Briar Nevills was named the Region’s Runner of the Year.