TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Hesston College closed its inaugural NAIA cross country season on a historic note as three freshmen represented the Larks at the NAIA National Championships on November 21 at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Fla.
At the national meet, Arissa Cathey finished 310th out of 333 runners in the women’s 6k, crossing the line in 27:45.3 to conclude a strong freshman year. In the men’s 8k, Jonah Krumme placed 296th with a time of 29:00.2, while Nathan Lewis followed in 300th at 29:28.0.
Cathey’s national appearance capped a breakthrough season for the freshman from Abilene, Kan. She qualified for the national meet after placing fourth at the Continental Athletic Conference Championships with a time of 27:06.7, earning First Team All-Conference honors. Earlier this fall, she placed seventh out of 31 runners at the Neosho County Invitational, finishing third among NAIA competitors and recording a personal-best 21:50 in the 5k.
Krumme and Lewis, both from Wichita, Kan., earned their national berths with top-10 performances at the CAC Championships. Lewis finished ninth in 28:42.5 and Krumme took tenth in 28:51.5, with both earning Second Team All-Conference honors as the Larks placed second overall among the three competing men’s teams. Krumme also delivered a standout ninth-place finish at the Neosho County Invitational, where he was fourth among NAIA runners and posted a personal-best 28:42.53. Lewis added a personal record of his own at the Golden Eagle Invitational, finishing in 29:15.2.
The trio’s efforts marked a season of significant firsts for Hesston College cross country, setting a strong foundation for the program’s continued growth in the NAIA.
