T-Birds (WXC) Wins 3rd Straight Region V Championship

The NMJC women's cross country team won the Region V Championship 5k and WJCAC Championship for the third straight year on Saturday, Oct. 26 at Harry McAdams Park.

The T-Birds finished in first place with 35 points, El Paso CC came in second place with 72 points, and Odessa College placed third with 82 points. The Thunderbirds earned their fourth win of the season at the Region V Championship.  

Amal Kachouri finished runner-up for the third consecutive time this year  Saturday morning with a time of 18:19.50. The time was a personal record for Kachouri as she bested her previous record by 6.83 seconds, which now slides her into the seventh spot on the all-time 5k list. The freshman's finish earned the Sfax, Tunisia native All-Region and WJCAC All-Conference honors.

Ines Mrabet finished in sixth place coming across the finish line in 19:11.70. The freshman from Tunis, Tunisia earned All-Region and All-Conference honors with the performance.

Jayne Elvin was one spot behind Mrabet in seventh place at the championship. Elvin completed the race in 19:15.10. The pace was 17.10 seconds behind what she ran at the Region V Championship in 2023. The sophomore from Corringham, Stanford-Le-Hope, England was named All-Region and All-Conference with the finish.

Emilly Silva rounded out the top 10 in 10th place crossing the finish line in 19:24.00. The finish is the best time Silva has run so far this season by 1.73 seconds. The freshman from Sao Paulo, Brazil earned All-Region and All-Conference honors with the time. 

Hadil Chiha was the final runner counting toward the team score with her 12th-place finish. Chiha ran a personal-best 19:46.80. The time was 53.99 seconds better than what she ran at the NMJC Invitational III. Chiha's placement was enough to earn All-Conference honors. 

Freshman Lisel Ndlovu recorded a 15th-place finish with a time of 19:57.10. Sophomore Francesca Alvarado was the final runner for the T-Birds in 21st place with a time of 20:27.30.

The Thunderbird women will now prepare for cross country nationals in two weeks as they compete in the NJCAA Cross Country Championships at 2:30 p.m. EST on Saturday, Nov. 9 at Pole Green Park in Richmond, VA. The women will also compete in the Half Marathon at 10 a.m. EST on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at Dorey Park in Richmond, VA.