By: Jeff DeGraw
The Wolves women's cross country team won the NJCAA Region 4 team title this past Saturday at Settler's Hill cross country course in Geneva, IL. It was the third title in school history and the first since 2021.
Gabby Zid and
Allison Behounek led the Wolves with second and third place finishes respectively to earn All-Region honors.
Vivienne Forte (7th),
Olivia Kics (8th) and
Ember Myers (11th) rounded out the Wolves top five.
"Our women's team ran a very smart race and did what they needed to do to win," Wolves coach
Jeff DeGraw said. "Vivienne [Forte] and Ember [Myers] ran their best races of the season. Gabby [Zid] and Allison [Behounek] continue to just be so consistent up front. They were all focused and very competitive, especially in the later stages of the race."
On the men's side, the Wolves were led by the individual champion
Nathan Ciarlette, with
Gavin Carlson (4th) and
Logan Schmidt (7th
)Â running in the top ten.
Ciarlette's individual title was the first since 2021, when Hunter Phillips was victorious.
"Our top three men ran very well, as there was a lead pack of 8-10 runners through out the race," DeGraw said. "This is the toughest region in the country, as we have the top three nationally ranked teams, so this was like a mini National preview meet.
"We just need our fourth and fifth runners to be closer and anything can happen at Nationals. We are capable of that, we just have to do it."
The NJCAA National cross country meet will take place on November 8Â in Fort Dodge, Iowa with the men racing at 9:30 am followed by the women at 10:30 am.
"I'm extremely proud of our teams, their work ethic and the belief in the process. We have one more race."
