RUN IT BACK: Moraine Valley, Joliet defend women's cross country crowns
GLEN ELLYN, ILL. - In a repeat of 2024, Moraine Valley Community College and Joliet Junior College successfully defended their Region 4 Women's Cross Country Championships in Division II and Division III, respectively. The Cyclones claimed their seventh Region 4 crown by a landslide over runner-up Illinois Valley Community College, while the Wolves secured their third Region 4 banner and first since 2021 by just five points in a tight race with the College of DuPage. Eva Zimmerman of MVCC and DuPage's Jessica Balmer ran to Region 4 Athlete of the Year honors, and Dimitri Dimizas from Moraine Valley and Jeff DeGraw from JJC were awarded Region 4 Coach of the Year accolades.
2025 NJCAA Region 4 Division II & III Men's & Women's Cross Country Championships Final Results
Moraine Valley completed its first repeat championship since 2014 and 2015 in commanding fashion as four runners placed in the top six to give the Cyclones 18 points. The Eagles were second with 58, followed by third place Waubonsee Community College with 65 and Carl Sandburg College with 82. Zimmerman, a freshman from Orland Park, Illinois, ran a time of 19:57.69 to give MVCC its first individual champion in 36 years. Mia Villa and Fernanda Cabrera trailed right behind in third and fourth place, respectively, while Rylee Milenkovic was sixth. Desiree Mendoza joined her teammates on the All-Region 4 team with a 13th place run. Kaylee Sweikar of Sauk Valley Community College was runner-up at 21:18.5.
(Recaps: Moraine Valley)
In the Division III race, the College of DuPage gave Joliet Junior College a real run for their money as the teams combined to place 15 runners in the top 17. Balmer, a freshman from West Chicago, Illinois, won the individual title for COD by 17 seconds over Gabby Zid of JJC with a time of 20:31.1. Zid was followed by Allison Behounek in third place, while Vivienne Forte and Olivia Kics were seventh and eighth, respectively, and Ember Myers was 11th. DuPage's Maureen Bluemle earn all-region honors with a fourth place finish, with a quartet of teammates coming in ninth, tenth, 12th, and 13th. (Recaps: Joliet | DuPage)
The 2025 NJCAA Division II & III Cross Country Championships will be held November 8 at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
2025 All-Region Teams
Division II
First Team
Eva Zimmerman - Moraine Valley Community College
Kaylee Sweikar - Sauk Valley Community College
Mia Villa - Moraine Valley Community College
Fernanda Cabrera - Moraine Valley Community College
Ximena Barillas - Oakton College
Second Team
Rylee Milenkovic - Moraine Valley Community College
Meanna Luy - Highland Community College
Kiana Brokaw - Sauk Valley Community College
Jade Unzueta - Waubonsee Community College
Alexandra Lemke - Waubonsee Community College
Third Team
Amelia Beutler - Bryant & Stratton College
Addyson Miller - Illinois Valley Community College
Desiree Mendoza - Moraine Valley Community College
Laney Holland - Highland Community College
Tatiana Serna - Illinois Valley Community College
2025 Region 4 Athlete of the Year
Eva Zimmerman - Moraine Valley Community College
2025 Region 4 Coach of the Year
Dimitri Dimizas - Moraine Valley Community College
Division III
First Team
Jessica Balmer - College of DuPage
Gabby Zid - Joliet Junior College
Allison Behounek - Joliet Junior College
Maureen Bluemle - College of DuPage
Kasey Ledinsky - Harper College
2025 Region 4 Runner of the Year
Jessica Balmer - College of DuPage
2025 Region 4 Coach of the Year
Jeff DeGraw - Joliet Junior College
(Images courtesy of Moraine Valley Community College Athletics and Joliet Junior College Athletics)
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