The Kellogg Community College Women’s Cross-Country team is the second-best squad in the nation.
The team placed second at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III National Junior College Athletic Association Division III National Championship held Saturday in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
Four Bruins came home with All-American honors for their performances in the women’s and men’s races.
Sophomore Emma Berning of Battle Creek led the women’s team with a second-place finish in the women’s race.
Freshman Hannah Wilkinson of Hillsdale finished fourth. Both Berning and Wilkinson earned NJCAA First Team All-American honors.
Freshman Kennedy Vanderlugt of Plainwell finished in sixth place, earning Second-Team All-American honors.
The Joliet Junior College Women’s Cross-Country team was the only team to beat the Bruins, finishing six ahead in the championship meet.
The KCC men’s team did not field enough runners to score as a team, but head coach Erin Lane said the team still had a strong showing.
The men’s team was led by freshman Brian Frazee of Watervliet. His third-place finish earned him First Team All-American honors in the men’s race.
KCC’s men’s team fielded too few runners to score as a team, but had a strong showing in freshman Brian Frazee, whose third-place finish earned him First Team All-American honors in the 8K men’s race.
Lane said she couldn’t ask for more from the women’s team, with four of the five running lifetime- or season-best times.
“Emma ran most of the race right on the shoulder of the eventual winner. It was exciting to see her up there racing, doing exactly what we knew she was capable of. Hannah and Kennedy ran very solid races as well,” Lane said. “Unfortunately, we just missed edging out Joliet for the national title, but we are thrilled to bring home the runner-up trophy and four runners who earned All-American honors.”
Frazee continued to amaze with another strong performance, Lane added.
“He had an amazing freshman year and is only going to get better and stronger moving forward,” she said.
The Bruins’ top finishes comes after the women’s second regional championship in three years with a first-place finish at the NJCAA Region XII Division III Cross Country Championship Oct. 31.
Both Wilkinson and Frazee were individual regional champions in their respective races last month.
Individual national championship results for each Bruin follow:
Women’s Race, 5K
- Emma Berning (Battle Creek/Harper Creek High School), 2nd Place, 20:24.88
- Hannah Wilkinson (Hillsdale/Hillsdale Academy), 4th Place, 20:42.71
- Kennedy Vanderlugt (Plainwell/Plainwell High School), 6th Place, 21:19.69
- Ana Pace (Battle Creek/Lakeview High School), 24th Place, 24:20.17
- Ava Cooney (Athens/Athens High School), 27th Place, 25:10.26
Men’s Race, 8K
- Brian Frazee (Watervliet/Home School), 3rd Place, 27:36.71
- Hunter Finnila (Battle Creek/St. Philip Catholic Central High School), 16th Place, 29:16.32
- Colin McDowell (Marshall/Olivet High School), 27th Place, 31:57.50
- Reece Ratliff (Battle Creek/Lakeview High School), 28th Place, 32:00.79
