(Malta, IL) – Waubonsee Community College Cross Country runners competed at the combined Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) and NJCAA Region IV Meet on Saturday, October 30. Recent rains made for a soggy course in some spots as it was laid out on the campus of Kishwaukee College. However, coach Rebecca Goldsmith's Chiefs' still made a good showing overall, with four women's runners qualifying for the NJCAA Division II National Meet in Richmond, Virginia on November 13.

Waubonsee was led by two-sport athletes Elly Kuhn and Melia Perry, both of whom are also key members of the Chiefs' basketball team. Kuhn placed seventh overall to earn All-Region honors and qualify for the National Meet two weeks from now. The Serena High School product covered the 5K course in a time of 21:44. Kuhn finished fifth among ISCC competitors to also be named All-ISCC. Perry crossed the finish line in 10^th place overall to also be recognized as an All-Region performer and national qualifier. The sophomore from Oswego East High School posted a time of 22:00 exactly, finishing seventh among conference foes to earn All-ISCC honors.

The duo will be joined in Virginia by teammates Samantha Garcia and America Chavez. Garcia placed 14^th overall and 10^th within the ISCC standings to garner All-ISCC recognition. Chavez was right behind her in 15^th place overall as the final qualifier for the National Meet, although she just missed out on All-ISCC honors by placing 11^th among conference competitors. Ellery Patterson was close on the heels of Chavez crossing the finish line only two second behind her teammate to place 16^th overall and 12^th in the ISCC standings. Nicole Harrison and Payton Heiden rounded out the Chiefs' female participants as they placed 19^th and 20^th overall, while taking the 14^th and 15^th spots among ISCC runners.

Waubonsee placed second in the ISCC team scoring with 32 points, just behind winner Moraine Valley which tallied 25 points. The College of Lake County's Carly Leonard won the race with a time of 20:12, outsprinting Moraine Valley's Natalia Wrobel to the finish line to win by just one second. The Chiefs' women's team also finished third in the Region with 58 points. Moraine Valley captured the Region team title as well, compiling a score of 45 points to edge Carl Sandburg College by a single point.  

In the men's 8K race Waubonsee's Dalton Klingensmith led the way, finishing in 16^th place overall to just miss out on qualifying for the upcoming National Meet. The sophomore covered the course in a time of 28:46 to place in the top-10 pertaining to ISCC competitors to garner All-ISCC honors. Tony LoPresti crossed the finish line just seven seconds after his teammate, placing 18^th overall and just missing out on All-ISCC accolades with an 11^th place finish. Jacob Weissensel came in 25^th overall, placing 15^th among ISCC runners. Austin Curtis was 31^st overall and 17^th among conference participants, while Xander Lundblad took 35^th place and was 20^th in the ISCC. Joshua Branstad and Justin Gallegos rounded out the Chiefs' competitors. Brandstad finished 43^rd overall and 25^th in the ISCC, while Gallegos came in 48^th overall and 27^th among conference foes.

As a team the Chiefs were fourth in the Region with a total of 102, while they finished third in the ISCC standings with 58 points. Led by a trio of Kenyan born runners, Carl Sandburg College took the team title with a score of 21, well ahead of second place Moraine Valley Community College's total of 41. The Chargers' Calton Kibet won the race with a time of 24:51, while teammates Emmanuel Kiprop and Josphat Langat were second and third, respectively. Kiprop and Langat each traversed the course in under 25 and a half minutes, finishing more than forty seconds ahead of the fourth-place finisher Brandon Armendarez from Moraine Valley.