Waubonsee, Harper run to Region 4 championships

GENEVA, ILL. - Harper College successfully defended its region crown, while Waubonsee Community College snapped a ten-year title drought at the 2023 NJCAA Region 4 Division II & III Women's Cross Country Championships on Saturday, October 28 at the Northwestern Medicine Cross Country Course. The Skyhawks picked up their sixth region championship in Division II with 26 points, while the Hawks registered an impressive team total of 19 to take the Division III banner for the second consecutive. Carl Sandburg College's Sharon Yego and Lilly Alberts of Harper College earned Region 4 Runner of the Year honors, with Eric Baron and Jim Macnider earning Region 4 Coach of the Year accolades.

2023 NJCAA Region 4 Division II & III Women's Cross Country Championships Final Results

In the Division II race, the Chiefs narrowly got by runner-up Sauk Valley Community College for the team title, edging the Skyhawks by three points after SVCC posted 29 points. Carl Sandburg College finished with the top two individual runners, as well as four of the top eight. Yego, a freshman from Kenya, bested Chargers teammate Damaris Kimalyo by eight seconds with a 5K time of 6:40.9. Kimalyo came in at 20:45.7, with Waubonsee's Meghan Johnson finishing third in 21:35.0. The 2023 NJCAA Division II Women's Cross Country Championships are November 11 in Hunstville, Alabama. (Recaps: Waubonsee | Carl Sandburg)

The Division III competition, Harper College dominated the two-team competition with runner-up College of DuPage by a margin of 19 team points to 38 for the Chaparrals. Alberts, a sophomore, matched her season-best time for a 5K at 18:52.5. DuPage's Carmen Solis took runner-up honors at 20:45.6. The 2023 NJCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championships are also in Hunstville, Alabama, on November 11. (Recap: Harper)

2023 All-Region Teams

Division II

First Team
Sharon Yego - Carl Sandburg College
Damaris Kimaiyo - Carl Sandburg College
Meghan Johnson - Waubonsee Community College
Lexi Bohms - Sauk Valley Community College
Sara Johnson - Highland Community College

Second Team
Ascar Jepchirchir - Carl Sandburg College
Annabel Lipkie - Moraine Valley Community College
Jersee Ham - Carl Sandburg College
Kylie Von Schnase - Kishwaukee College
Rose Dallal - Waubonsee Community College

Third Team
Jillian Hulsing - Sauk Valley Community College
Emma Perry - Waubonsee Community College
Lauren Tupper - Sauk Valley Community College
Nuria Push - Waubonsee Community College
Mariah Karamagianis - Moraine Valley Community College

Region 4 Runner of the Year
Sharon Yego - Carl Sandburg College

Region 4 Coach of the Year
Eric Baron - Waubonsee Community College

Division III

First Team
Lilly Alberts - Harper College
Carmen Solis - College of DuPage
Claudia Wojciechowski - Harper College
Kaili Decker - Harper College
Emma Cecich - Joliet Junior College

Region 4 Runner of the Year
Lilly Alberts - Harper College

Region 4 Coach of the Year
Jim Macnider - Harper College