Wallace State Volleyball, Cross Country wrap up seasons at NJCAA national championships

Wallace State's and Volleyball Cross Country Cross Country teams each ended their seasons with a lot to be proud of as the volleyball team advanced in the national tournament further than they ever have before and runners on both the men's and women's squads set new team records.  

Volleyball advances further in NJCAA tournament 
The Wallace State Volleyball team kept advancing in the NJCAA Division II Volleyball Championships held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa until a final loss to eventual third-place team Johnson County.  

The Lions kicked off the tournament with a 3-0 win against Harford before falling to Parkland 3-0. Moving to the consolation rounds, the Lions picked up two 3-0 wins against Sauk Valley and Grand Rapids before falling 3-1 to Johnson County.  

Sophomore's Anna Clare Hutto and Braelee Quinn finished strong for the year. Hutto, of Lawrence County, is ranked third in the nation for assists among NJCAA offensive leaders, with Quinn of West Point ranked fourth for kills.  

The team finished the season 46-7 overall with their 14th Alabama Community College Conference title in 15 years and their 25th overall. Coach Randy Daniel improved his overall record to 637-128. 

Cross Country runners set new records, teams finish in top 10 at NJCAA races 
A few days after finishing the NJCAA Division II Cross County National Championship, the Cross Country teams competed in the NJCAA Half Marathon at John Hunt Cross Country Park in Huntsville. 

Freshmen Abigale Vega and David Robles each set WSCC Cross Country records for their respective teams. Vega ran the 13.1-mile marathon in 1:33:02.3 in the women's division and Robles completed in 1:12:22.6 in the men's division.  

The women's teams finished eighth in their race, with Vega, of Fort Payne, coming in at 23rd place, followed by Mandy Leonardi of Cullman 38th and Claire Deaton of Madison, 41st. 

The men's finished in seventh place, with Robles of Springville coming in at 27th, Luke Kennedy in 41st and Jonathan Phillips in 46th.   

A few days earlier, Kennedy, of Huntsville, was recognized as an Honorable Mention for the 2023 NJCAA Division II Cross Country All-America Teams.  

The men finished in fifth place at the NJCAA Cross Country National Championship, and the women finished in eighth place. For the men, Kennedy finished in 15th place, followed by Robles at 18th, Phillips 19th and Collin Mayfield of Geraldine, 23rd. For the women, Vega crossed the finish line in 37th place, with Deaton in 47th.  

Both the men's and women's Cross Country teams each won their sixth consecutive Alabama Community College Championships for the 2023 season.