In the Running: Tri-C X-Country Team Qualifies for Nationals

Challengers make 16th consecutive appearance at championships

The nationally ranked Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C^®) women’s cross country team placed third at regionals while qualifying for the national championship race for the 16th consecutive year.

Caroline Lapish led Tri-C while earning all-regional honors at the meet, held Saturday, Oct. 29. The first-year runner from Madison finished third with a time of 19:21 in the 5,000-meter race hosted by Lansing Community College in Michigan.

Lapish was followed at the Region XII Championship by a tight pack of teammates. The group included Sonnie Sauvinsky of Rootstown (16th), Shelbie Sporcich of Ashtabula (21st), Taylor Badamo of North Royalton (24th) and Maria Curren of Marion (25th).

The regional meet featured a strong field with five teams among the Top 25 in the nation. Tri-C was ranked 13th in the country in the most recent poll.

Head coach Don Cox said that the team’s average time qualified the Challengers for the National Junior College Athletic Association championship race, which will be held Nov. 12 in El Dorado, Kansas.

Tri-C heads to nationals with a young team, with six freshmen among the top seven runners. Curren will be the lone sophomore competing for the College.

October 31, 2016

John Horton, 216-987-4281 john.horton@tri-c.edu