First-year SCC cross country team heading to nationals

Published: 10/25/2019

On Friday, Oct. 25, St. Charles Community College (SCC) hosted the NJCAA Division III Regional XVI Championships. It was the first cross country race the college has hosted in its history.

Two SCC student-athletes, Audrey Kelly and Edwin Kipainoi, captured the female and male individual titles.

Edwin Kipainoi maintained the lead in the NJCAA Division III Regional XVI Championships.

Kipainoi, an SCC international student from Kajiado, Kenya, has been recognized nationally three times this season as National Athlete of the Week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). His time for the men’s 8k race was 28:26.9 – 19 seconds faster than the second place winner. He is now ranked fourth in the nation based off of his season best performance.

 
Audrey Kelly maintained the lead in the NJCAA Division III Regional XVI Championships.

Kelly, from St. Peters, Mo., won the individual women’s title with her time of 20:42.1 in the women’s 5k race – nearly one minute and 35 seconds before the second place winner, fellow Cougar Hannah DeGraw (22:17.8). Kelly was named National Athlete of the Week by the USTFCCCA, and it is the first time that a female athlete from SCC has been granted this title during the cross country season. Kelly is ranked fifth in the nation and DeGraw is ranked 15th in the nation based off of their season best performances.

Hannah DeGraw took second place in the NJCAA Division III Regional XVI Championships. 

The next stop for the team is the NJCAA Division III National Championships, which will take place at Stanley Park in Westfield, Mass. on Saturday, Nov. 2. Team members attending include Audrey Kelly, Hannah DeGraw, Edwin Kipainoi, Todd Wollin, Ethan Lobdell, Thomas Campbell and Jordan Carter. 

 “We are very proud of our cross country team and all of the hard work they have put into this season. The Cougars have already made history in their inaugural season with outstanding performances from both the men and women,” SCC Athletics Director, Tim Brix, said. “I look forward to the national meet, and I have full confidence they will represent SCC to the best of their abilities in the school’s first national appearance.” 

The Cougars have been nationally-ranked as a team four times this season. 

“I am lucky to have the opportunity to coach the team,” Jacob Sundberg head coach of cross country/track and field. “They’re a great group on and off the course. The way I see them carry themselves in practice and in races, I know that they will be successful in their future endeavors and in future races.”

Race times of participating athletes and team results from the Region XVI Championships are available here.

To learn more about SCC athletic programs, visit SCCAthletics.com. 

For more information, contact Sundberg or Brix at 636-922-8211. 

St. Charles Community College strives to provide reasonable accommodations to all people at any SCC-sponsored event. Please contact Disability Support Services at dss@stchas.edu or 636-922-8581 as early as possible to discuss your needs.

St. Charles Community College is a public, comprehensive two-year community college with associate degrees and certificate programs in the arts, business, sciences and career-technical fields. SCC provides workforce training and community-based personal and professional development as well as cultural, recreational and entertainment opportunities. For more information, visit www.stchas.edu.