MESA WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY GOES BACK-TO-BACK AS NJCAA DII NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Saturday Novemeber 8, 2025 - 10:00 p.m. | Dylan DeVlieger
The Mesa Community College Women's Cross Country team braved the snow, cold, and immense championship pressure to capture its second consecutive NJCAA Division II National Championship on Saturday morning at Lakeside Golf Course. The Thunderbirds totaled 54 points, holding off Region I rival Paradise Valley Community College to secure their second straight national title and cement their place as one of the premier programs in the NJCAA.
Sophomore Kinley Jackson led Mesa with a fifth-place finish (19:03.7), while freshman Olivia Baker crossed just behind in sixth (19:15.2). Katie Munoz added a ninth-place finish (19:25.0), Lucy Melzer took 16th (19:52.2), and Marissa Hernandez rounded out the scoring in 25th (20:23.4). Evalyn Perez and Olivia Scroggins finished 40th (20:42.7) and 68th (21:29.3) respectively.
Snow covered the course early in the morning, creating slippery and unfamiliar conditions for the field. Head Coach Daniel Pescador said the team's focus was to simplify and trust their process rather than overthink the weather. "We just told them to keep it simple and do what we've been doing," he said. "We didn't want to change a whole lot. The plan was to get out in front and stay there for the best footing instead of running in the crowd, where it could be soft or uneven. We knew the weather was going to impact everyone, so we focused on being that team that stuck to what we do—stay together, run clean, and press the pace as a group."
The T-Birds executed exactly that plan, establishing position early and maintaining control throughout the race. As the No. 1-ranked team in the nation and defending national champions, Mesa entered with a target on its back. But rather than feeling the pressure, the group embraced it with confidence. "They did a phenomenal job," Pescador said. "They were calm and collected but also determined. There weren't a lot of nerves—just confidence and eagerness to get going. They really did a great job of keeping it together from start to finish."
While Baker had been Mesa's top finisher throughout the season, Saturday's championship was defined by the team's balance and veteran leadership. After Baker slipped midway through the race, it was the sophomore core that rallied to steady the group and keep Mesa in title contention. "What they've done all season is train and race with composure," Pescador said. "They know what works, they trust our team culture, and they showed that today. When Olivia went down, Katie and Lucy really came through, and what sealed it was Marissa finishing 25th and earning All-American honors. That's what wrapped it up for us."
When the results became official, emotion took over for the Thunderbirds, who celebrated among coaches, friends, and families who made the trip to Iowa. "Oh, man, it was just tears of joy," Pescador said. "When you run in conditions like this, anything can happen—you can be the favorite and still lose. So it was a huge relief to know we had done it again. I was just so proud of the girls. It wasn't a perfect race, but that was our message: we don't need to be perfect, we just need to win together."
Mesa's victory came against a familiar foe in Paradise Valley, who finished runner-up and once again pushed the T-Birds to their best. "Hats off to Paradise Valley," Pescador said. "They've been great competitors and made it a hard race. We're proud to have them as rivals, and it meant a lot that they showed tremendous support for us as we received the national championship trophy."
