Holland Reporter

On November 23, 2024, the Grand Valley men's and women's cross country teams secured notable finishes at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships in Sacramento, California. The women's team placed fourth while the men's team finished fifth.

The women's team scored 179 points, trailing behind Adams State with 61 points, West Texas A&M with 127 points, and CSU – Pueblo with 160 points. The men's team earned 171 points, finishing after Colorado School of Mines with 63 points, Wingate with 66 points, Adams State with 113 points, and West Texas A&M with 138 points.

"Both squads competed tough in challenging conditions," said Head Coach Jerry Baltes. "We are proud of the efforts both squads put out there today to finish out a great season."

In the men's race that started at 10 a.m., Caleb Futter led Grand Valley by finishing in 17th place with a time of 30:03.6. Koby Fraaza followed closely in 27th place at 30:15.0. Other contributors included Brock Wooderson (45th), Dan Lambert (50th), Sam Martens (60th), Scott Spaanstra (120th), and Owen Westerkamp (178th).

The women raced at 11:15 a.m., where Lauren Kiley excelled by winning the Women's Individual National Championship title with a time of 20:28.5. Allie Arnsman finished next for Grand Valley in 14th place at 21:02.7. Additional scorers were Abby VanderKooi (40th), Maria Mitchell (68th), Abby Olson, Annika Sandman, and Maggie O'Malley.

"What an incredible performance for Lauren Kiley," remarked Baltes about her victory. "She executed a great race plan and raced tough all the way to the finish."

Lauren Kiley maintained her lead from the two-kilometer mark onward during the race and secured her championship title as an undefeated junior.

"One thing I thought about was the very thing Jerry told us to think when things get rough: the team," said Kiley reflecting on her experience during the competition.

Kiley's journey this season was remarkable considering she had only participated in two races prior to this event due to injury but managed victories at both GLIAC Championships and NCAA DII Midwest Region Championships.

"Though the win does feel amazing," expressed Kiley on her growth over three years at Grand Valley, "I know I am worth it... even if I'm not a national champion."