Grand Rapids Races to 2024 MCCAA Women’s Cross Country Championship, Lansing’s Daisy Speet Earns Runner of the Year Honors

GOODELLS – The Grand Rapids Community College Raiders captured the 2024 MCCAA Women's Cross Country Championship after posting four runners in the top seven and a team score of 41 on Friday (Oct. 25) at the MCCAA/NJCAA Region 12 Championship.

The event, hosted by St. Clair County Community College, was held at Goodells County Park.

The Raiders, led by MCCAA Coach of the Year Sharon Becker, were paced at 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 and All-MCCAA 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 MCCAA Women's Cross Country Runner of the Year 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. 

Of note, Grand Rapids also won the NJCAA Region XII Division II Championship, while Kellogg Community College took home the NJCAA Region XII Division III Championship.

2024 MCCAA WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY AWARDS - BASED ON RESULTS OF FRIDAY'S RACE