Women's Cross Country: Season-in-Review
UNIVERSITY PARK, IL—The Governors State women's cross country team returned to a full slate of meets in 2021 with a roster consisting of four veterans and two newcomers. The Jaguars posted numerous personal record times during the fall, concluding the season November 6 with a 10th-place showing at the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships in Bourbonnais, Ill.
GSU opened its seventh varsity season Labor Day Weekend at the Fighting Saints Twilight Invitational. The Jaguars took part in six invitationals, which included a trip to Michigan for the Great Lakes Challenge, one of the largest meets in the nation with 62 teams spread over two divisions.
Senior Jacqueline Navarrete was indefatigable in her second season with the Orange and Black, finishing as the team's top runner at all six races. Named the team's MVP, Navarrete finished 64th at the CCAC Championships with a time of 22:56.85—the fourth-best mark ever recorded by a Jaguar at the conference meet. Navarrete broke 22 minutes for the first time with a five-kilometer PR of 21:46.60 at the Midwest Intercollegiate and logged the team's highest individual finish with a 28th-place effort at the Purdue Northwest Classic.
"Jackie has national junior college experience from her time at Moraine Valley and she was invigorated this year, it carried over from week-to-week," said GSU Head Coach Kevin Kredens.
Navarrete, who has an extra COVID year available, wasn't the only GSU runner to have a career year, team captain Elizabeth Rios likewise enjoyed her best season to date. The junior from Chicago Heights etched her name in the school record book by becoming the team's all-time leader in race appearances (17). She received a team certificate for the third-straight year, recognized for her leadership qualities with the Spirit Award. Rios established a PR during Week 3, clocking 23:57.00 at the Midwest Intercollegiate.
"Liz has really been the heart of the team," stated Kredens. "She hardly ever misses a practice and cheers everyone on, she loves to run and compete. She has quiet leadership and has been a great asset to our program."
Two other juniors played important roles with the Jaguars in 2021. Bailey Honn ran the fastest race of her career at the Great Lakes Challenge, clocking a time of 24:25.30 at Riverside Park in Grand Rapids, Mich. She was recognized with the team's Most Improved Award after appearing in five races. Two-sport athlete Avery Fountain took part in two meets, the season-opener and the season finale. Despite her limited action, Fountain helped the Jaguars post a team score at the conference meet. Based on past performances, Fountain has proven to be one of GSU's top runners.
GSU's lineup received a boost in the final weeks of the season when Ashley Seyden (Harwood) joined the team. A former Jaguar volleyball player, Seyden improved her times over three consecutive meets and factored in team scoring at the CCACs. Junior college transfer Kayla Rodriguez was the team's other rookie who did not see any action due to injury.
The Jaguars not only benefited from an experienced roster but the addition of assistant coaches John Niendorf and Dave Ladehoff. Accomplished runners, they brought enthusiasm and instruction that pushed the program forward, says Kredens.
"I think our women's team was phenomenal—we had all our runners improve their times by as many as three minutes in some cases. They had a lot of energy this year, they bought into something new as we had a change in regimens and workouts. The fact that they saw some success made it all that more sweet."
