Strong Finish: Tri-C Cross Country 19th at Nationals

Five sophomores lead Challengers toward top of field at Division I Championship

The women’s cross country team at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C^®) added to the program’s history of success with a Top 20 finish at this year’s NJCAA championship race.

The Challengers finished 19^th out of 42 teams at the Division I championship, held Saturday, Nov. 11, in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Tri-C entered the finals ranked 23^rd in the nation.

Caroline Lapish led the Challengers by placing 50^th in a field of more than 300 runners. She was followed by Sonnie Sauvinsky (114^th), Shelbie Sporcich (117^th), Taylor Badamo (140^th) and Jordan Kati (172^nd).

All five are sophomores and Academic All-Americans.

“This was really a special group,” said head coach Don Cox, who just completed his 28^th season leading the team. “They worked so hard and achieved so much in competition and the classroom during their two years at the College.”

The team’s top finishers all list Northeast Ohio hometowns. Lapish is from Madison, Sauvinsky from Rootstown, Sporcich from Ashtabula, Badamo from North Royalton and Kati from Eastlake.

November 13, 2017

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