FORT DODGE, IA – Facing tough conditions at the 2025 NJCAA Division 2 National Meet, Bay College's Lily Ross finished with a time of 21:34.1 which placed her in the top quarter of the field. She finished in 72nd place out of 321 runners.
It turned out to be a snowy and cold day in Iowa, and with it being the last event of the day, the course became packed with snow, ice, and slush, offering challenging conditions that saw runners struggling to avoid slips and falls. Despite the unfavorable conditions, Ross (FR, Houghton, MI) put together a performance to be proud of.
"The race went well for the weather being kind of gross," said Ross. "I am thankful for how it went and blessed to have these opportunities. I feel I thrive in the warm weather but for how cold and snowy it was I am happy with my results in the end."
Ross had some extra support at the race. On Friday evening the participants gathered and she befriended the team from Enterprise State Community College out of Alabama. The Men's Team from Enterprise became fans of Ross during the event, cheering her through the course.
"It was cool to see Enterprise State embrace Lily like they did. They were awesome," said Head Coach Scott Carhoun.
"It was definitely cool to have the experience of being able to go to the National Championship," said Ross. "It would be fun to have more people to go with in the future."
"I am so happy for Lily," commented Carhoun. "She handled the weekend like a pro."
Arianna Mason (FR, Phoenix, AZ) from Paradise Valley Community College was the individual champion of the NJCAA Division 2 National Championship. She finished with a personal best time of 18:43.9.
Mesa Community College was the overall team champion with 54 points.