Harper College Men's and Women's Cross Country teams sweep nationals

The Harper College Women's and Men's Cross Country teams each won national titles at the 2023 NJCAA Division III Cross Country Championships in Huntsville, Alabama. It's the first time since 2018 that Harper has taken home first-place honors at both the men's and women's cross country national championships.

The women's team finished with a team total of 54 points, with sophomore Lily Alberts atop the individual standings and sophomore Kaili Decker coming in eighth. This is the women's second consecutive championship, following their 2022 triumph, and fifth overall.

In addition to winning her race, Alberts was named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's (USTFCCCA) Collegiate National Athlete of the Year and Central Region Athlete of the Year for Division III.

With a team total of 53 points, the men's team featured three athletes in the top 10 individual results: Sophomore Albert Szewczyk (fourth), freshman Owen Whelan (seventh) and sophomore Marcos Jaimes (tenth). This is the eighth national championship for the men's team.

Coach James Macnider was also named the USTFCCCA National Coach of the Year and Central Region Coach of the Year for his work with both the men's and women's teams. The program was also awarded the Gary Moore Award for the Best Overall Cross Country Program.

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