WOLFPACK FINISH SIXTH AT NJCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

WESTFIELD, Mass. - Paced by two runners in the top 40 and six who set new PRs, the Westmoreland County Community College women's cross country team finished sixth overall for the program's highest placement ever at the NJCAA Championships, which were held Saturday at Holyoke Community College.

Leading the efforts for the Wolfpack Saturday were two runners who both took nearly a minute off their previous PRs. First to cross the finish line was Brooke Bertovich, who finished 31st out of 121 runners with a time of 22:20, 58 seconds better than her previous PR. Just behind her was Jenna Hildenbrand, whose time of 22:37 not only erased 59 seconds from her PR but also placed her 38th overall.

The time was falling off all the Wolfpack runners Saturday. Next to the finish line was Abby Dorogi, who clipped nearly 100 seconds off her fastest time by coming in at 24:07. She was followed by Olivia Jumper, whose time of 24:59 was 11 seconds faster than her last PR, and Natalie Naponic, whose time of 25:04 was her best since an early-season injury.

Completing the total team effort at NJCAAs was Madison McTavish, who shaved more than two minutes off her PR with a time of 26:03, and Dakota Cochran, whose clocked in at 29:19, 30 seconds faster than her previous best.

The Wolfpack totaled 163 points in the meet to finish ahead of four other full teams. Taking the team title was Suffolk CC with Harper Valley CC taking second place.

It was a big weekend for the leader of the Wolfpack women's program as well. At the banquet the night before the national meet, head coach Pat Comer was named the USTFCCCA Central Region NJCAA Division III Coach of the Year. The multi-time WPCC Coach of the Year earned the recognition after leading the Wolfpack to the Region XX championship and the program entered the NJCAA Championships ranked fifth in the country by the USTFCCCA, their highest placement ever in the national rankings.