RedTail Cross Country Competes in NJCAA National Championship
The RedTails traveled to Huntsville, Alabama, on November 10-12 for the NJCAA National Championship.
The Women's team placed 25th overall at the NJCAA Cross Country National Championship. This moved them up in the rankings one place off of last year's performance. Freshman Amber Homan was the first to cross the line for the RedTail's placing 31st in a near season's best time of 20:05.8. Freshman Anna Dietzenbach followed behind in 97th place in a near personal best time of 21:32.8. Sophomore Maddie Tieskotter finished in a near season's best time of 22:21.7 placing 117th. Sophomore Kallie Mincks and Gracie Rathe jumped in the mix to round out the field both hitting big personal bests with times of 30:00.1 (227th) and 34:29.2 (236th) respectively.
Assistant coach Hunter Lavallee had some positive words after the weekend.
"Our women this season have made some serious strides this cross country season, and it all came out to show at the national meet," he said. "Our ladies came into the meet a little beaten up and fighting through a handful of nagging injuries, yet came to throw down against some tight competition. Amber, a middle distance runner, fought hard against a tight front pack, and matched her season's best on a somewhat longer course than expected. Her drive she brings to practice has lifted everyone around her! Tieskotter has been an incredible leader. She leads by example day in and day out while balancing more than the majority of students at Hawkeye. With how beat up she was coming into the meet, it's only a testament to how hard she works and pushes herself that she ran so close to the personal best. Anna has been your typical freshman stud. She came in ready to work, and yes she had to fight some battles, but when the going got tough, she stepped up and showed what she was made of. Kallie and Gracie who are two of our sprinters on the team stepped up as well to help out the cross team and they put everything into it. We're proud of each of these ladies, and can't wait to see what they bring to the track this spring!"
The RedTails had a successful fall season and are continuing their hard work in the off-season.
