The Joliet Junior College track and field teams had another successful NJCAA DIII Track & Field National Meet over the weekend in Utica, New York. Three individual National titles and a third-place finish highlighted the three-day meet.
On the women's side, the Wolves 4x800 meter relay raced to victory with the team of Gabby Zid,
Allison Behounek,
Maura Cecich and
Vivienne Forte.
The team also had four National runner-up performances as
Corrine Thomas placed second in the triple jump, Ka'mhary Scott in the 100 meter dash by just.02 seconds,
Maura Cecich in the 400 hurdles and the 4x100 relay of Thomas, Navayuh Junior,
Olivia Ostrowski and Scott.
"I'm so proud of the effort the women gave over the three days," coach Jeff DeGraw said. "We had injuries occur during the meet, but these women came through. They overcame and it paid off with a podium finish. We had 12 athletes in the meet and 11 came home as All-Americans. Many garnered multiple All-American status as Behounekand Zid placed in four events while Thomas placed in 5.
"I could talk about the efforts and stories of everyone of these athletes. This being just the fourth year of the program shows the dedication this team had all year."
Vince Demma led the men's to a fifth place team finish as he won the 400 meters in the fourth fastest championship time in history and anchored the winning 4X400 relay as he was joined by
Tye Morgan,
Caleb Kies and
Keaton Stroner.
The Wolves placed 1-3-5 in the 400 meters with Morgan third and Stroner fifth. The 4x800 relay was runner-up with Stroner, Kies,
Gavin Carlson and Demma.
"
Vince Demma showed why he is one of the top 400 runners in the country anywhere," DeGraw said. "To win the 4x400 at the end of the meet was so exciting and we bookend the meet with the women winning the very first final on Thursday and the men winning the very last event. We had 16 men in the meet as 12 came home All-Americans at least once.
"This was a special year with all of these athletes on both teams. They earned all of this and it belongs to them."
