DC Cross Country takes eighth at the HCAC Championships

FRANKLIN, Ind. - The Defiance College Cross Country team held its ground in the HCAC Championships despite running on a course decimated by mud and deep puddles due to the weather. Both the men’s and women’s runners held up for an eighth place team finish.

On the men's side, Travis Treece led the team with a 49th place finish with a time of 30:10. Nic Alvarez followed with a 58th-place finish, clocking in at 30:39. The next two Jacket runners to cross the finish line were Ryan Nusbaum and Adam Fullenkamp. Despite taking a wrong turn on the course, the two finished 89th and 96th with times of 37:23 and 38:50, respectively. Chris Brown and William Wilson rounded out the Yellow Jacket finish, as Brown came in 97th-place at 38:57 while Wilson came in 98th with a time of 43:09.

For the women, Jamie Hamilton was the top DC finisher, coming in 33rd at a 26:47 mark. Kelly Neff was next in 60th place with a time of 29:13. Sarah Stopke gave a determined effort toward the end yet fell towards the final stretch of the course. Regardless, she was still able to hold off the runner behind her to take 66th place with a time of 29:51. Amanda Zimmerman was next at 69th and time of 30:08. Kasey Carlisle and Paula Stambaugh held on for 78th and 79th and times of 32:06 and 32:31, respectively. Kathy Fedele finished up strong with a 33:52 that gained her 85th place. Rounding out the women was Kristina Goodson, who completed her first race as a DC varsity athlete with a 87th place finish, running a 35:12.

The Yellow Jacket runners will next head to the NCAA Regionals at Hanover, Indiana on November 11th.