The Hesston College women’s cross country team recently completed another successful season in an always-competitive NJCAA Region VI schedule.

At the October 31 region championship meet in Overland Park, Kan., Hesston placed seventh among 16 school. All six programs that placed ahead of the Larks were ranked in the top-25 national poll this season. A high level of competition is nothing new for Hesston College Cross Country, as the men and women’s program’s routinely compete with top NJCAA talent, as well as with varsity squads from four-year athletic programs.

Hesston’s seventh place finish represents the best season ever for the program.

Hannah Heidebrecht (Minneapolis, Minn.) capped off a brilliant freshman season with a 13th place finish among 96 runners, earning all-region honors. Heidebrecht was a medalist in every meet in 2015.

Freshman Rene Buckwalter (Wellman, Iowa) was a medalist in the Oct. 16 Butler CC (El Dorado, Kan.) meet.

A highlight for this year’s team was several days spent volunteering at Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp, Divide, Colo., where the men’s and women’s team partnered with Mennonite Disaster Service in contributing over 350 hours to clearing beetle-infested trees at the camp.

“Our women had an outstanding year,” said Hesston Coach Gerry Sieber. “It was a freshmen-laden roster and already excited about next year.