Iowa Central Men Win Division I Championship; Three Take Individual Titles
Division I Women
This past weekend in Fort Dodge, IA, Faith Linga become just the third woman in NJCAA DI history to win back-to-back individual titles. Linga was ahead the whole race winning by 36 seconds ahead of the runner-up with a time of 18:10.9. Iowa Western finished in sixth overall in the team standings.
Iowa Central, the No. 1 ranked team and three-time NJCAA defending champions, did not particiapte in this years NJCAA National Championships.
NJCAA DI Women XC Championships
ICCAC Division I Women Team:
6. Iowa Western
ICCAC Division I Women Individual:
1. Faith Linga – Iowa Western, 18:10.90***
23. Mohussin Abakar – Iowa Western, 20:19,12
40. Shiggo Shadin – Indian Hills, 20:51.03
43. Blayne Lachance – Iowa Western, 20:57.88
46. Nia Taylor – Iowa Western, 21:07.68
67. Monserrat Guerrero-Chapula – Indian Hills, 22:06.08
71. Jadyn Miller – Iowa Western, 22:09.81
72 Elizabeth Hussey – Iowa Western, 22:16.84
80. Jule Granahan – Indian Hills, 22:50.62
85. Mikayal Pecka – Iowa Western, 23:32.61
Division I Men
The Iowa Central men won the fourth title in program history this last Saturday. The Tritons were led by Kelvin Bungei who won the individual title by running a time of 24:57 which was 13 seconds ahead of the runner-up. There were two other Triton runners who finished in the top-15 which were awareded All-American honors. Pur Biel finished in 13th place with a time of 26:01.28 and teammate Hunter Klimek finishing right behind Biel only seven tenths of a second in a time of 26:01.96.
Noah Friske (17th) and Demetrius Kaquatosh (24th) rounded out the Tritons top-5.
Iowa Western finished thrid as a team, with Yonas Mogos coming in second place behind Bungei, just as he did at the Region XI Championships. Kassim Kibet was a second team All-American after his ninth place finish.
In seventh place, Indian Hills completed their best performance at a National Meet in school history.
ICCAC Division I Men Team:
1. Iowa Central
3. Iowa Western
7. Indian Hills
21. Southwestern
ICCAC Division I Men Individual:
1. Kelvin Bungei – Iowa Central, 24:57.38***
2. Yonas Mogos – Iowa Western, 25:10.51***
9. Kassim Kibet – Iowa Western, 25:50.22***
13. Pur Biel – Iowa Central, 26:01.28***
14. Hunter Klimek – Iowa Central, 26:01.96***
17. Noah Friske – Iowa Central, 26:13.10
18. Nick O'Connor – Indian Hills, 26:17.19
24. Demetrius Kaquatosh – Iowa Central, 26:35.23
26. Samuel Hydro – Iowa Western, 26:40.60
28. Wimachmorr Gilo – Iowa Western – 26:43.22
33. Kylan Willis – Iowa Western, 27:07.19
34. Mohamed Mohamud – Iowa Central, 27:07.31
35. Chris Metz – Indian Hills, 27:07.33
36. Jordan Hustak – Iowa Central, 27:10.86
38. Josh Baudler – Southwestern, 27:16.71
40. Jalen Elwell – Iowa Western 27:20.49
47. Colten Glosser – Indian Hills, 27:32.21
50. Isaac Bryant – Indian Hills, 27:40.48
52. Ethan Mesenbrink – Indian Hills, 27:43.39
60. Jacob Glandon – Indian Hills, 28:05.03
63. Eric Zabel – Scott, 28:09.50
70. Tyler Kinney – Iowa Western, 28:17.24
86. Noah Smith, Scott – 28:51.11
122. Connor Koppa – Southwestern, 30:39.60
126. Nicholas Mather – Southwestern, 30:55.39
127. Kyle Gassman – Scott, 30:56.53
137. Ahmed Fofana – Southwestern, 32:12.07
141. Levi Detrick – Southwestern, 33:02.96
147. Leland Perkins – Southwestern, 36:31.86
Division I Men - Coach of the Meet - Dee Brown, Iowa Central
Division II Women
In Division II, it was a close battle for first place from the start with Sarah Bertry of NIACC finishing in second just three seconds behind the individual champion. Bertry earned her second-place finish in a time of 18:33. The second-place finish by Bertry was the highest by a NIACC women's runner since Hannah Palmeter placed third at the NJCAA Division I Championships in 2014. It was also the second time a NIACC women's runner finish runner-up since 2011. The NIACC women placed in 10th overall.
The Redtails of Hawkeye had two top-10 runners with Ryann Portch finishing in fifth place (19:30) and Kaylee Leicht placed seventh (19:45). Overall, Hawkeye finished in third place with 103 points.
NJCAA DII Women XC Championships
ICCAC Division II Women Team:
3. Hawkeye – 103
10 NIACC – 276
ICCAC Division II Women Individual:
2. Sarah Berty – NIACC, 18:33.68***
5. Ryann Portch – Hawkeye, 19:30.41***
7. Kaylee Leicht – Hawkeye, 19:45.70***
29. Rachel Wardell – Hawkeye, 20:41.64
31. Hannah Payne – Hawkeye, 20:49.01
52. Sophie Spargur – Hawkeye, 21:34.03
58. Whitney Martin – NIACC, 21:40.63
60. Elizabeth Barfells – Hawkeye, 21:42.23
70. Addy Witt – NIACC, 22:06.48
72. Thalia Thomas – Southeastern, 22:07.93
83. Lauren Kern – NIACC, 22:28.21
84. Emma Drake – Hawkeye, 22:29.94
85.. Wendy Liera – DMACC, 22:38.07
95. Lilly Garnsey – Southeastern, 23:32.48
98. Karima Kuku – DMACC, 23:40.69
103. Maisie Hoskins – NIACC 24:00.06
Division II Men
In the last race of the 2020 NJCAA Cross Country National Championships, NIACC's Melvin Kipkemboi claimed the individual title in a competitive race that came down to less then 30 seconds separating the top five finishers. Kipkemboi ran a personal-best time of 24:58 and was the first individual national champion in cross country in NIACC history. Kipkemboi became just the second runner in school history to break 25 minutes in the 8K.
Jorge Ruiz (6th), Vincente Correia (11th) and Jalen Petersen (12th) all qualified as 2020 NJCAA All-Americans, and were vital to the Trojans championship.
NIACC claimed the school's first national cross country title and third overall national team title in school's history.
For Hawkeye, the RedTails were led by Sam Mickelson who finished seventh individually with a time of 25:56. Hawkeye finished in sixth place overall scoring 177 points.
NJCAA DII Men XC Championships
ICCAC Division II Men Individual:
1. NIACC
6. Hawkeye
ICCAC Division II Men Individual:
1. Melvin Kipkemboi – NIACC, 24:58.77***
6. Jorge Ruiz – NIACC, 25:39.15***
7. Sam Mickelson – Hawkeye, 25:56.06***
11. Vicente Correia – NIACC, 26:29.05***
12. Jalen Petersen – NIACC 26:33.39***
18. Brandon Conrad – Hawkeye, 26:46.55
28. Stephen Ringo – NIACC, 27:17.34
30. Kolby Winter – Hawkeye, 27:24.26
35. Richard Marcoux – NIACC, 27:36.48
38. Janvier Irakoze – NIACC, 27:40.77
58. Harrison Vanderlinden – Hawkeye, 28:19.28
69. Tyler Colvin – Hawkeye, 28:48.92
89. Dodson Melchiori – Hawkeye, 29:18.12
103. Cameron Campbell – DMACC, 30:01.96
105. Dylan Steele – Southeastern, 30:14.22
120. Preston Rogers – DMACC, 31:14.75
122. Owen Timmerman – Southeastern, 31:19.03
124. Cole Bennett – DMACC, 31:25.16
142. Andrew Huhuyana – Southeastern, 35:11.77
Division II Men - Coach of the Meet - Curtis Vais, NIACC