MCC Posts Top 25 Finish at Nationals

From School Reports

El Dorado, KS - MCC made their long awaited return to the NJCAA Cross Country National Championships this past Saturday in El Dorado, KS as the team posted a Top 25 finish as a team placing 23rd.

MCC went in to the meet not being ranked in the Top 25 in the final two weeks of the season.  MCC scored  599 points in their 23rd place finish.

“We had an okay day from a team aspect today,” said Head Coach Chip Gayden.  “I felt like our top three ran exceptionally well on a very narrow course.  We wanted to come in to this meet, and make it where we are nationally relevant in all three sports in cross country, indoor and outdoor track and we made great strides towards that today.”

MCC was led by three men who finished in the top 100 out of the 300 person field. Sophomore, Rogelio Araiza led MCC as he posted a 53rd place finish in a time of 26:47.20.  He was followed by Freshman Micah Britton who finished 69th in 27:07.10.   Rounding out the top 100, was Sophomore, Tim Hoodlebrink who finished in 27:31.01 for a 100th place finish.

Rounding out MCC’s scorers was Sophomore, Noah Smith and Freshman, Raymond Mion. Smith finished 214th with a time of 29:17.37 and Mion finished 218th with a time of 29:28.49.

MCC will now gear up for the indoor track season, with their first meet less than two months away on January 6, 2017 at the Purple Tiger Invitational hosted by LSU.