Video: Joel Cotton

ELGIN, Ill. – In one of the most competitive conferences in the NAIA, Judson University will be competing for a CCAC Championship in Bourbonnais, Ill., this weekend.  The women have had one of their best years in the fourth year of the program as they have received votes in the NAIA National Poll.

Judson has been led by freshmen Sarah Miller and Gabby Nystrom who both finished 44^th and 45^th at the NAIA Great Lakes Regional Invitational.  Miller has also been named the NCCAA National Runner of the Week once when she finished second at the St. Ambrose Invitational and Judson was one point shy of winning the meet. 

In the NAIA National Poll, Judson has received votes in four different times.  They received their first votes, ever, on September 21^st, with 22 for 34^th in the nation.  The following week they had 21 votes and stayed at 34^th.  After not being in the poll on October 5^th, Judson was given 49 votes to move up to 29^th in the nation.  On October 19^th, they had 21 votes and were 33^rd.  The 49 votes on October 12^th is the highest, ever, that they women's team has reached in only their fourth year as a program.

Overall in the NAIA National Poll, the CCAC has two teams in the top 25 and one receiving votes.  Olivet Nazarene is sixth and has been ranked as high as fourth in the nation. Saint Xavier is 21^st and has been up to 13^th.  Trinity Christian is receiving votes now, too.  At one point, when Judson was receiving votes, the CCAC had four teams mentioned in the national poll.

The CCAC Championship will take place on Saturday, November 5^th, at the Aspen Ridge Golf Course in Bourbonnais, Ill., hosted by Olivet Nazarene University.

Interview with Joel Cotton