SC4 Races to First Region 12 Women’s Cross Country Title
BYRON CENTER, Mich. – The St. Clair County Community College Skippers took home the 2023 NJCAA Region 12 Division II Women's Cross Country Championship with a team score of 80 (74 in DII-only competition) on Friday (Oct. 27) at Douglas Walker Park in Byron Center. The Skippers team score was 15 points better than second place Southwestern Michigan and 20 ahead of perennial power Lansing Community College who checked in third as a team.
The 2023 Region 12 Division II Women's Cross Country Championship is the first in program history for the Skippers.
The Skippers made history with a balanced and talented team that included scoring runners checking in at 7th, 10th, 16th, 21st and 35th overall. Grace Wessel paced the day for the Skippers with a 20:12 5K to finish seventh overall (sixth among DII runners).
Lake Michigan College freshman Olivia Ippel was the MCCAA Women's Runner of the Year and individual medalist for the Region 12 race with a 5K time of 18:29, nearly a minute faster than the second place individual.
St. Clair County Community College head coach, Andrea Rheaume, was tabbed Region 12 Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year.
The top 11 finishers earned their way onto the Division II All-Region 12 Team. The 2023 Division II All-Region Team was comprised of:
- Olivia Ippel – Lake Michigan College
- Amy Rowen – Oakland Community College
- Jana Stiffler – Lansing Community College
- Ava LaMilza – Macomb Community College
- Anna Tubbergen – Grand Rapids Community College
- Grace Wessel – St. Clair County Community College
- Emmalee Duncan – North Central Michigan College
- Mackenzie Montagano – Oakland Community College
- Jessica Denver – St. Clair County Community College
- Claire Hunt – Mott Community College
- Alyssa Williams – Lansing Community College
