DuPage's Solis runs to national title, Harper finishes national runners-up
RICHMOND, VIR. - Region 4 saw some tremendous representation at the NJCAA Division II & III Women's Cross Country Championships on November 9. The weekend was highlighted by two-time defending national champion Harper College earning a runner-up finish, while Carmen Solis of the College of DuPage sprinted to an individual crown ahead of the Hawks Isabella Wojciechowski in the Division III race.
2024 NJCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championship Final Results | 2024 NJCAA Division II Women's Cross Country Championship Final Results
Harper College was in pursuit of their fifth women's cross country championship since 2016, and finished with 61 points. Mineral Area Community College posted five runners in the top 15 en route to an impressive 40 points to win the championship trophy. The College of DuPage was fourth with 102 points, followed by Joliet Junior College in fifth at 109 points. Solis, a sophomore from Aurora, Illinois, followed up a third-place run in 2023 with a first-place run of 19:01.4. She was 27 seconds ahead of Wojciechowski's runner-up time of 19:28.2. The Hawks also counted an eighth place finish (11th overall) from Natalia Pocica, to go along with three more in the top 20. For their efforts, Solis and Wojciechowski earned First Team NJCAA All-American honors, while Gabby Zid of Joliet Juinor College was second team and Pocica was honorable mention. (Recaps: NJCAA | Harper | DuPage)
In the Division II race, Carl Sandburg College placed 22 with 578 points and Moraine Valley Community College was 26th with 640 points, with Mesa Community College winning the title with 51 points. The Chargers Linda Koech led all Region 4 runners with a time of 20:16.6 to place 50th overall.
