ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., November 9, 2019 – The Monroe College Mustangs women's cross country team made history at the University of New Mexico Golf Course on Saturday, finishing seventh overall at the 2019 NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. Saturday's achievement represents Monroe's first-ever Top-10 finish at the national meet, and a four-spot improvement from a year ago.
 
The Mustangs finished with a team score of 189 at the national meet on Saturday to earn seventh overall out of 38 teams. They were led by Sharon Chumo, whose time of 18:54.36 placed her 14th overall out of a field of 252 runners. Her Top-15 finish earns her NJCAA and United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-American honors. Chumo's time and finish are both the third best and third fastest in program history at the NJCAA Championships.
 
Faten Laribi battled through illness to cross the line 25th overall with a time of 19:24.57, earning NJCAA and USTFCCCA All-American honors as well for a Top-25 finish. Thulisile Amon was next after also battling an illness, finishing in 20:02.11 to take 46th overall. Joanna Archer was right behind her, clocking in at 20:04.73 for her second-fastest time ever to place 47th. Thobile Amon was the fifth Mustangs across the finish line, taking 64th with a time of 20:27.11.
 
Jada Blackheart was the next Mustang to finish, crossing the line in 23:41.35. Silveri Aguero finished the race with a time of 27:51.12.
 
Iowa Central Community College was the overall winner on Saturday, totaling 60 points to claim the NJCAA Championship. New Mexico Junior College took second with 107 points, while El Paso Community College took third with 125 points.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 31 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 12 teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe College Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).