Nov. 14, 2020, DODGE CITY, Iowa – Grand Rapids Community College cross country teams finished in the top 10 at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division 2 National Championships, with three student-athletes earning All-American honors.
The women’s team finished fourth in the nation, with Audrey Meyering earning NJCAA and Coaches Association All-American honors, and Kiah Becker earning Coaches Association honors. Meyering finished eighth in the race, with Becker coming in 16th.
The men’s team claimed ninth place in the nation, with Josh Kipkoech finishing fifth in the race. Kipkoech earned First-Team All-American honors.
“I’m incredibly proud of our student-athletes and coaches, who showed they are among the very best in the nation,” GRCC President Bill Pink said. “Their success is inspiring, showing they can thrive even while facing the challenges of a pandemic. We have a proud history of athletics at GRCC, and the cross country team just wrote a new chapter!”
Meyering was in 12th place at the one-mile mark of the race, moving up to eighth place with a quarter-mile to go, finishing the 5K competition with a time of 19 minutes, 51 seconds. Becker was close behind at 20 minutes, 9 seconds. Liz Meyering finished 32nd, with Carolanne Merlington at 46th, Kate DeLeeuw at 48th, Allison Hoop at 65th and Alex Webster at 77th.
Kipkoech was in third place after the third mile of his race, part of a six-runner cluster within a second of each other. He finished in fifth with a time of 25 minutes, 28 seconds.
GRCC’s Jack Kehoe finished 42nd, Gabe Sanchez finished 53rd, Noah Peterson was 81st with Ashton Brennan right behind him and Devon Simon at 98th.
The success at the National Champions caps off a season where the Raiders dominated regional and conferences competition. Both teams won the Michigan Community College Athletic Association and NJCAA DII, Region XII titles, the first since the rebirth of the program in 2014.
Students also claimed individual honors. Kipkoech and Audrey Meyering earned All-MCCAA Runner of the Year and Freshman of the Year awards. Matt Sicilia was named Coach of the Year by both the MCCAA and the NJCAA Region 12.
NJCAA Region 12 includes community colleges in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. MCCAA includes college in Michigan and Ancilla College in Indiana.
Three GRCC women student athletes -- Audrey Meyering, Kiah Becker, and Liz Meyering -- were named by the MCCAA to the nine-member All-Conference Team.
Kipkoech and Lance Jourdan from GRCC were named to the nine-member men’s All-Conference Team.
The Meyerings and Becker were joined by teammates Merlington, De Leeuw, and Hoop on the 17-member All-Region Team, selected by the NJCAA. Kipkoech and Jourdan were joined by Sanchez and Peterson on the men’s All-Region Team.
“This was the largest cross country team GRCC has ever had, which reflects on the enthusiasm and determination of the coaches,” Interim Athletic Director David Selmon said. “This team worked hard, was prepared and very supportive of one another. We’re proud of how they performed, and also how they represented their community around the state and now across the nation.”