News

By Alex Freeman, MCC Communications Coordinator

The Montcalm Community College women’s cross country team made school history Wednesday, Sept. 17, after it was announced that the team was ranked in the top 25 nationally. 

In the week 1 rankings released by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA), MCC made its first appearance in the national rankings at No. 25. First-year head coach Nate Van Holten said it’s an exciting accomplishment to be the first team in school history to be nationally ranked. 

“It’s always good to break new ground with new people in new places,” Van Holten said. “I was a little worried it wouldn’t happen just because our last race didn’t go so well, so I thought it might hold us out for a while. It’s good to be there, we’re still hoping for more. But I’m excited our name is on the board and people can see it.” 

The top 25 recognition comes off the heels of the Centurions’ 10th-place finish at the Wayne State University Warrior Challenge Sept. 12. Despite the low finish, MCC was the only two-year school at the meet and it was the first time that many of the runners had run a 6K race. 

“I knew competitively it was going to be quite the challenge,” said Van Holten of the race at Wayne State. “I just wanted to go in and see where we were at.” 

The added national recognition could be a good boost for the Centurions as they head into their final three meets of the season. Freshman Abby Davis, the leading runner for the Centurions, was filled with pride upon hearing the news. 

“Knowing this is the first time MCC has been ranked in the top 25 for any sport makes me feel super proud and honored to be part of this team,” Davis said. 

One of the adjustments for the young team is the lack of meets, with only five in their season compared to the 10-14 meets that most of the runners were used to in high school. Relying on practices to put in the work, Davis noted that the team has been working on its pacing. 

“We’ve been doing a lot of workouts and strides at our ideal pace to get used to the pace where we want to be at conference,” she said. “We also have little talks to open up or ask questions before we go for runs which help us feel better.” 

Like most good teams, the Centurions have been displaying good chemistry, which started with a strong baseline built at their preseason cross country camp, according to Davis. 

“I really like how easy going everyone is on the team,” she said. “I think in a sport like cross country, no matter the team, you’re bound to form a special bond with each other. I really think that connection is key when it comes to racing and working together to get better as a team.” 

For as connected as the squad is, however, they still have a lot to work on. Along with addressing the runners’ strength and endurance during workouts and their aggressiveness during the races, Van Holten is working to instill confidence in the team. That starts with positive self-talk, a skill that the team is admittedly struggling with, at times. 

“It sounds goofy and basic but we’re working on being positive,” Van Holten said. “We have a little bit too much negative talk on the team; when I ask someone what their goal is and they respond with, ‘To not die,’ that’s not the most positive goal I’ve heard. So, we’re trying to get something better than that like running a certain time or beating a certain person. That’s some of the stuff I’m hearing in practice, I’ll explain the workout and they’re like, ‘What if I don’t make it, what should I do?’ That sounds like they’ve already decided that they won’t finish.” 

Another obstacle for Van Holten is that he’s primarily working with a women’s team this season for the first time in his career. He’s mostly worked with men’s teams throughout his nearly 20-year stint with Cornerstone University and Grand Valley State University. The men’s cross country team has yet to field a full roster in their two meets, so Van Holten has spent more time with the women’s team, which presents its unique challenges, as well. 

“I’m still trying to figure out how to push them hard and keep them motivated but, at the same time, not crush their spirit and not do anything emotionally that would be negative toward them,” he said. “That’s one of the things that I was excited about this year was that I actually get the chance to focus on a women’s team. I love the opportunity of working through it, it’s a challenge because it’s not second nature for me, per se. Me adjusting to that and them still adjusting to me, it’s a unique blend.” 

While the national recognition is certainly welcomed, Van Holten stressed that the goal is now to build on that rather than to be content with the accomplishment. 

“I came into this season saying I actually think we could be a nationally ranked team,” he said. “A lot of these girls honestly haven’t had a ton of team success in their careers, so I don’t know if a lot of them understand what it really means when I say those things. I want them to see that we’re trying to speak it into existence and now it’s happening, so they should be excited about that.” 

The Centurions will hit the course again Friday, Sept. 26, at the MCCAA Northern Conference Meet at Camp Pet-O-Se-Ga in Alanson.