The Cyclone women's cross country team had a lot to be proud of this season. Not only did they see three runners compete at the national tournament, but they also returned the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference championship home.
A speedy roster mixed with youth and experience was the key to all the success. Calista Stefaniak (Kennedy), Guadalupe Diaz (Reavis) and Natalie Moreno (Reavis) all returned from last season, bringing their knowledge and experiences to this team.
Stefaniak ended her Cyclone career as one of the top runners the college has seen. She competed at the NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championship both years, was a two-time All-Conference and All-Region runner and this past season earned Skyway Most Valuable Runner for finishing first in the conference race. "She had many goals going into this season, and even though she didn't get all of them, she still accomplished a lot. I am proud of her for that," said head Coach Dimitri Dimizas, who completed his third season at the helm and earned Conference Coach of the Year. "Seeing her become conference champ was amazing, and her performance at nationals was a fantastic way to end things."
"This ends my career running at Moraine Valley. I'll be running road races and running for another college," Stefaniak said. "I will never forget the experiences and knowledge I gained from being on this team. It was an honor to run here. I wish the best of luck to all my teammates who return next year, and I wish Coach D the best of luck too."
Diaz and Moreno made big improvements from last year due to their efforts in the offseason and consistency at every race. "In terms of racing time, they both improved more than anyone else in Moraine history. Because of that, they played a vital role in the team's success," Dimizas said.
Newcomers Victoria Granz (Richards) and Madison Krisch (Tinley Park) entered the season with high expectations, and they did not disappoint. Both earned All-Conference and All-Region honors and competed at nationals. "They were a big factor in the team winning the conference title. They are both super competitive, and that is something they will need to rely on going into next season," Dimizas explained.
Carmen Villarreal (Reavis) was another newcomer with plenty of upside. She was on the right path early in the season but suffered an injury that set her back. "Even with the injury, her work ethic did not falter, and she came back strong," Dimizas said. Assistant Coach Sarah McCann, a former Cyclone runner, also was new to the team as a first-time coach but fit right in.
"I'm proud of what these women accomplished together with bringing back the conference title, which is something we talked about before the season started," Dimizas said. "The second year runners will be greatly missed, but Victoria, Madison and Carmen are going to be a great trio going into next season as they look to build on the successes they experienced this year. Hopefully, we can bring in the right pieces to add even more hardware and bring more runners to the national meet."