The Triton women claimed their NJCAA record seventh national title last year, securing back-to-back top finishes at the NJCAA Championship. The men, meanwhile, were runners-up, with both teams adding silvers at the NJCAA Half-Marathon Championship.

 

Now, the goal is to keep the Iowa Central women right where they are and get the men to that top line for Dee Brown, the director of both cross country and track and field, and head coach Nick Ekel, who begins his second season at the helm.

 

Three key members of that Triton women's team return led by third place finisher Lilian Busienei. Florance Uwajeneza was sixth a season ago at nationals with Winrose Chesang finishing 19th. Chesang shined during track nationals, winning both the 5K and 10K events.

 

"Our women have a strong Top-4," Brown said. "They could all be No. 1 runners at any other school in the NJCAA. As long as we train smart we should have a great opportunity to win our third title in a row for the second time in school history."

 

Eleonora Curtabbi, Rosalie Fish and Lilia Alvarez are all key newcomers for the team. Curtabbi was third in the NJCAA steeplechase a season ago, with Fish coming from Washington's Mukleshoot Tribal School and Alvarez being a former Omaha South standout.

 

On the men's side, Milos Pendic and Awet Mengsteab Yohannes were both Top-35 finishers at nationals, with Yohannes winning the NJCAA indoor 3K title. Eldad Mulugeta from Northwood in Maryland and Chris Levario out of Batavia in Illinois are incoming runners looking to make an impact.

 

"Our men's team has a lot of question marks but certainly some big talent up front," Brown said. "The determining factor will be how well our athletes trained over the summer and how they progress this fall. There are plenty of opportunities for our No. 5-through-10 athletes right now."

 

Iowa Central's first goal will be to defend championship at the Region XI meet, with nationals in both cross country and the half-marathon next on the board. 

 

Brown added that "We also have a goal to be an NJCAA Academic Team of the Year and to continue to raise funds for the Trinity Regional Hospital Cancer Center in our annual 'Race to Erase Breast Cancer' drive this October."

 

The junior varsity ICCAC Time Trial is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 23 in Ottumwa with the varsity team hitting the trails for the first time the following week when they compete in the Mustang Gallop in Cedar Rapids hosted by Mt. Mercy University. 

 

Trips to Iowa City for the Hawkeye Invitational, Nebraska for the Woody Greeno, the Chile Pepper Invitational hosted by Arkansas and the Jim Drews/Tori Neubauer in Wisconsin all lead in to the Region XI Championships back in Ottumwa in October. 

 

The NJCAA Championships are Nov. 9 hosted by New Mexico with the NJCAA Half-Marathon set for Nov. 23 in El Paso, Texas.