Gaston College freshmen Abigale Harris (left to right), Keirieonna Wilson and Abbygale King at last weekend's 2023 NJCAA national championships in Huntsville, Ala.

Posted: Nov 13, 2023

Gaston College cross country looks to 2024 with high expectations

When Gaston College began its 2023 women's cross country season, coach Kody Kubbs had to replace the school's only individual medalist in the two-year history of the program in Victoria Perez.

He would look to three returning runners and a freshman class of six in hopes building on that foundation.

Following last Saturday's record-setting performance by Keirieonna Wilson in the National Junior College Athletic Associatoin, the expectation of a veteran team coming back in addition to another recruiting class, expectations couldn't be higher for 2024.

"We're excited obviously with Wilson coming back because she improved on her high school PR (personal record) by a minute and a half," Kubbs said.

Wilson was the Rhinos' individual medalist in each of the five meets in which she ran, including a third-place finish at the Region 10 championships and an 85th-place finish at the NJCAA championships that tied and set school records with times that were school records each time. On Saturday, she finished with a time of 20 minutes, 27.5 seconds on the 5,000 meter course.

Just as Kubbs did a year ago when Perez became the first Gaston College athlete to qualify for a NJCAA championship event in Tallahasse, Fla., he took other team members to this year's NJCAA championships at Huntsville, Ala.

This time, with two other freshman runners - Abbygale King and Abigale Harris - he got the response he was looking for from the runners.

"It was a great experience," Kubbs said. "The two that we brought down here are coming back next year. And from the moment we got to Huntsville, they were like, 'We've got to be here next year as a team.'
"So I know they're focused on that."

In addition to Wilson, King and Harris, freshman runner Alayna Cook, Maytalene Lopez and Abigal Presley make up the expected returnees to the program.

Additionally, perennial power Spartanburg Methodist is leaving Region 10 to become a four-year school; The National Intercollegiate Athletic Association announced on Oct. 2 that SMC would be joining the Continental Athletic Conference.

"It definitely opens the door for us," Kubbs said of a Region 10 Division I race that in 2024 will be comprised of Gaston College, Louisburg and USC Sumter. "We're excited about what we can do with a full offseason and another strong recruiting class. We've got good ones coming back next year so we'll have a chance to do even better.
"We're going to shut it down the next couple of weeks and then we'll get back into training."