NWACC’s cross country team is fairly new and small in stature, but like Aesop said, the best things come in small packages.
Head cross country men and women’s Coach Josphat Boit has led the team to their fifth national championship where the men jumped from being ranked nationally at 22nd to 19th, and the women from 10th to 9th. Boit summed the entire season up into one word: “resilient.”
“We’ve had ups and downs the whole season,” he recalled. “We had three returnees [to the men’s team], and they held the group together. They were always up in the front.” One of those returnees finished in the top 100 — Kriz Perez, who ran a 28:10.2 for the Eagles in Iowa at the NJCAA Division II National Championship. The men’s team swept regionals for the fifth consecutive time, the last two being on their home turf. “I think we had a little advantage because they knew the course;we do all our workouts and practices out there,” said Boit.
The women’s team has two all American runners with them:, Cindy Soto and Judy Kiproto. They continue to help their ranking as they repeatedly place in the top 10% of the country. Even with their significant winnings, Boit still has one goal: “always move forward, keep improving.” Since they’ve wrapped up their season, he prepares to make the switch from cross country to track by focusing on lifting and getting stronger.
“Now, the focus is recruiting runners; it’s a quick turnaround when you only have them for two years.” Boit’s recruiting efforts are aided by the promise of NWACC’s Campus Master Plan, which is set to be completed over the next 10 years or so. A task force is currently discussing the possibility of housing for workforce members and students as a part of that plan. “[The new dorms] will give us an opportunity to recruit from other states,” Boit said.
Tryouts are hosted on the campus’s cross country course, which is located on the east side of campus. The two-mile loop is open to the general public, and can be used as a walking or running route. To qualify for the cross country team, men must be able to complete a 5K in under 17 minutes, and women under 23 minutes.
For additional information about athletics, visit https://nwacceagles.com/landing/index.
