Aurora University women’s cross country senior runner, Deyanneira “Deedee” Colon Maldonado (East Aurora High School) finished 22nd of 290 runners at the 2024 NCAA Division III Women’s Cross Country Championships Saturday, with a time of 21:32.6 for the 6K course. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology was host to the event at Lavern Gibson Championship Course at Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Ind..
A sendoff for Maldonado was held Thursday, Nov. 21, by teammates, friends, coaches and alumni at Aurora University’s Alumni Hall of Physical Education.
In addition to Maldonado, speakers were coach Alex Lowe, James Hamad, vice president for athletics; and Reverend Mark Woolfington, AU chaplain.
Maldonado qualified for the championships with a regional runner-up finish November 18. With her fourth All-Midwest regional honor, she is the highest regional finisher in Aurora University history.
Malsonado raced to the front of the lead pack early on, establishing a great position within the first quarter-mile of the race. Running strong against some of Division III’s best runners, she blazed through the three-kilometer mark in 10:40. She found herself confidently in second place as the race neared its end and finished strong over the final stretch.
—Al Benson