Women's Results
Men's Results
OCT. 30, 2026, MARYSVILLE, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College cross country teams turned in strong performances Friday at the MCCAA and Region XII Championships, highlighted by the women's team earning a runner-up finish in both the regional and conference standings to qualify for the NJCAA Division II National Championships.
The No. 9-ranked Raiders women's team finished second among 13 regional teams with 69 points, just six points behind nationally No. 4-ranked Muskegon Community College, which captured the regional championship. GRCC also finished second among the 13 MCCAA teams.
The Raiders had two runners finish among the top five overall, with eight athletes competing in the 100-runner field.
Sophomore Mackenzie Baldrica led the way with a second-place finish in 19:14, earning medalist honors along with All-Region and All-MCCAA recognition. Freshman Mackenzie Conner followed with an outstanding fifth-place finish in 19:19, also earning medalist honors and All-Region and All-MCCAA recognition.
Sophomore Vivian Idziak added a 15th-place finish in 20:20 to earn medalist and All-MCCAA honors, while sophomore Binti Abdi finished 18th in 20:42 to earn All-MCCAA recognition.
The remaining Raiders included sophomore Leah Williams, who placed 29th in 21:21; sophomore Suzannah Dipiazza, 32nd in 21:28; freshman Kailey Mann, 39th in 21:54; and sophomore Kadie Norman, 42nd in 22:07.
Head coach Sharon Becker was extremely proud of her team's performance, particularly after entering the championship as an underdog.
"I'm so proud of our team today. We went into the meet knowing we could compete for a top-three finish, but we also knew it was going to take hard work," Becker said. "I've seen what these individuals are capable of, and I've seen the results in our workouts. They've been working and running miles toward this goal for months."
Becker highlighted the performances of Baldrica and Conner, who gave the Raiders two runners in the top five, along with Idziak's contribution to the team score. She also singled out Abdi for one of the biggest performances of the day.
"The race of the day was Binti Abdi! She moved up in both time and place in the region. I knew she had it in her all along, and I'm so glad it came together for her today and she was able to prove it to herself and others," Becker said.
Becker also recognized Williams for recording a season-best time and Norman for an outstanding performance as the team's eighth runner.
"I'm super excited for my team and so proud of them that we get to go to nationals," Becker added. "We will celebrate today and get back to work on Monday."
The women's runner-up finish officially punches the Raiders' ticket to the NJCAA Division II National Championships, scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14, in Huntsville, Alabama.
MEN FINISH SEVENTH, SEND TWO RUNNERS TO NATIONALS
The men's team also had a strong showing, finishing seventh among 14 regional teams with 231 points. Lansing Community College captured the regional championship with 34 points.
Sophomore Brady Morrow led the Raiders with an impressive 11th-place finish among 100 runners, crossing the line in 26:37. His performance earned him medalist honors and All-MCCAA recognition.
Sophomore Corey Jones was next for GRCC, finishing 50th in 29:30. Freshman Alex Minani placed 58th in 30:28, followed closely by freshman Jacob Creager in 60th at 30:40. Sophomore Ralph White rounded out the Raiders' scoring lineup with an 86th-place finish in 38:26.
Morrow and Jones both earned qualifying spots for the NJCAA Division II National Championships, giving the men's program two representatives in Huntsville.
Head coach Rob Hyde praised his team's effort and the way the runners competed against a strong regional field.
"I'm proud of the way our guys competed today. Brady put together an outstanding race to finish 11th and earn All-MCCAA honors, and Corey also ran a strong race to earn his spot at nationals. Our younger runners gained valuable championship experience, and this is something we can build on moving forward. Having two athletes qualify for nationals is a great accomplishment for our program, and we're excited to see what they can do in Huntsville."
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