All-America honors for five Dutch runners
PELLA—Five Central College runners officially received all-America distinction Monday from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Monday.
They were cited after placing in the top 40 at the NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships Saturday at Newville, Pennsylvania. Central’s five all-America awards were the most received by any American Rivers school this year.
Central was one of only four schools with three women’s all-America honorees as Caroline McMartin (Pella), Megan Johnson (Parkersburg, Aplington-Parkersburg HS) and Addison Parrott (junior, Danville) were cited. McMartin, who also was honored last year after placing 24th in the national meet, finished 12th Saturday in 21:20.8 on the 6,000-meter course. Johnson was 30th in 21:39.1 and Parrott was 38th in a career-best 21:49.9.
Central’s women’s squad finished ninth, the team’s highest finish since winning the 1981 national crown.
Caleb Silver (5th-year, Conrad, BCLUW HS) and Noah Jorgenson (senior, Sidney) were men’s all-America honorees. Silver finished 25th a year ago and was cited a second time after finishing seventh in 24:35.8 on the 8,000-meter course Saturday. That’s the second-highest men’s national finish in program history. Jorgenson, in his second NCAA meet appearance, placed 24th in 24:53.6.
They led Central to a 15th-place finish, the team’s highest since 2014.
