Grand Rapids Win First Region XII Division II Women’s Cross Country Championship Since 2020, Lansing’s Daisy Speet Earns Race Champion Honors

GOODELLS – The Grand Rapids Community College Raiders raced their way to a MCCAA title and a 2024 NJCAA Region XII Division II Championship on Friday (Oct. 25) at Goodells County Park in Goodells, Mich. With a team score of 41, the Raiders had four runners inside the top seven of the race to earn the program's first region title since the 2020 campaign.

The Raiders, led by Region XII Division II Coach of the Year Sharon Becker, were paced on the championship event by Elicia Land in third overall at 19:26.4. Land was the first of four Raiders in the top seven and was followed by Ann Tubbergen in fourth (19:31.3), Olivia Lemke in sixth (19:38.4) and Gloria Gaston in seventh (19:51.2). All four Raiders earned their way onto the All-Region teams following Friday's race. The fifth scoring member for the Raiders was Mariana Zaragoza who was 21st overall with a time of 21:06.0.

Lansing's Daisy Speet was the first to cross the 5K finish line on Friday to earn Region XII Division II Race Champion honors. Speet checked in at 18:36.7 and was followed by 2023 NJCAA Division II National Champion, Olivia Ippel of Lake Michigan College, at 18:55.8.

2024 NJCAA REGION XII DIVISION II ALL-REGION TEAM - BASED ON RESULTS OF FRIDAY'S CHAMPIONSHIP RACE