skip navigation links JCCC Home
Future Students Current Students Faculty & Staff Continuing Education Friends & Visitors Tracks
Image of sky, and shadowed tree limbs and leaves with two heads in silhouette and the text Learning Comes First at JCCC.
JCCC cross country teams post top 10 finishes at nationals
Divider

Johnson County Community College
Press Release

College Information and Publications
913-469-8500
Julie Haas, Director, ext. 3120
Peggy Graham, Writer, ext. 3425
Tyler Cundith, Sports Information Director, ext. 3122

11/13/2007
Story by Tyler Cundith

JCCC cross country teams post top 10 finishes at nationals

OVERLAND PARK, KS -- The Johnson County Community College women’s and men’s cross country teams recently ran top-10 finishes at the NJCAA Cross Country Championships, Nov. 10, in Ina, Ill.  The women’s team finished seventh overall, while the men’s team posted a ninth-place finish.  

In the women’s race, sophomore Christa Heideman of Wamego, Kan., raced to a 10th-place finish overall, earning her NJCAA and Coaches All-American.  It is her 10th All-American award of the her career, leaving her just one behind Marti Cisper and Amy Gochnour, the two most decorated athletes in JCCC history.  Heideman crossed the finish line in 18:18. Her time of 18:18 is the best effort by a JCCC runner in a national championship, and ranks as the fourth-best effort all-time at any meet.  The previous best championship time was 18:32 by Luydmila Anderson at the 2002 championship.  She was the second-best American runner in the field this year.  She was the top American at last year’s championship.   

Also earning Coaches All-American was freshman Temer Yimer of Riverside, Mo.  Yimer finished 27th overall with a time of 19:18.  She earned her honor by placing among the top 25 American runners.  Yimer’s time of 19:18 ranks 10th all-time at JCCC in championship history.

Rounding out JCCC’s competitors were sophomore Kay Thomason of Blue Valley Northwst (42nd-19:36), freshman Heather Kochie of Cleveland, Mo., (65th-)20:06, freshman Andrea Young of DeSoto, Kan., (71st-20:14), freshman Courtney Price  (of Wamego, Kan., (79th-20:20) and freshman Francis Gipson of Shawnee Mission North (115th-20:56).

On the men’s side, sophomore Alex Troncoso of Kansas City, Mo., capped a solid season by earning NJCAA Coaches All-American.  He placed 47th overall, and was among the top 15 American runners.  He finished with a time of 26:30.10 over the 8k course.  That time ties the eighth-best performance by a JCCC runner in a national championship.

Sophomore Keith Cowart of Baldwin, Kan., was JCCC’s second-best runner, finishing 55th overall with a time of 26:41.71. He nearly earned Coaches All-American, finishing just outside the top 25 American runners.  Cowart’s time ties the 12th-best performance in team history.

Other key efforts were turned in by sophomores Matt Bilhimer of Overbrook, Kan., Trevor Johannsen  of Clinton, Mo., and Daniel Everhart of Kansas City, Kan..  Bilhimer placed 61st with a time of 26:47.90.  That effort ranks 16th in team history. Johannsen came in 64th overall with a time of 26:48.55, which ranks 17th in team history.  Everhart finished in 26:59.06, good for 70th place.  His time ranks 23rd all-time in a national championship.

Rounding out JCCC’s performers were sophomore Grant Catloth of Baldwin, Kan., (74th-27:02.73) and freshman Jason Rose of Louisburg, Kan. (80th-27:09.46).