Defending NJCAA champion College of DuPage competed at this week's national championship with nine athletes. Under the direction of head coach Robert Cervenka and his coaching staff of Michelle Stratton and Rachael Ramon, the Chaps earned points from each member and repeated going away Saturday afternoon at the Hudson Valley Community Track and Field Complex.
 
Sprinter Kiara Carter won both the 100 and 200-meter sprints Saturday, and Alexandra Ochab added to her long jump title with a victory in the 400 as the Chaps totaled 138 points to out-distance runner-up RC Gloucester, which finished with 111.
 
Carter ran on two title-winning relays (the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400), and Ochab added a title in the 4 x 400.

"Maximum efforts across the board and we could not be happier,'' Cervenka said. "Kiara is so talented, and I think Alexandra's experience from a year ago was pivotal.  Every one of our nine athletes scored in more than one event. That speaks volumes about their buy-in to the team and winning the title going away.''
 
It marked the second straight national event where the Chaps won all three relays; a point Cervenka emphasized.
 
"It's a pride thing where we demonstrated skill and those relays capped our week,'' he said. "All nine ran at least one leg on a relay. That really says it all.''
 
Carter won the 100 in 12.40 seconds, and added the 200 title in 25.88.
 
"So proud of Kiara and for her to get the job done,'' Cervenka said. "Her maturity picked up. She' s always had the talent and was such a big contributor for us.''
 
Ochab ran in just the 400, a day after winning the long jump by improving 30 centimeters over her previous best.
 
"What can you say,'' Cervenka said. "She's another one who got the job done in spectacular fashion.''
 
And the effort of Akira Lebron throughout the week was vital. She competed and scored in five individual events and ran on the winning 4 x 100 relay.
 
"Akira is such a phenomenal athlete,'' Cervenka said. "We asked a lot of her and she responded so well. Her efforts in those five events took points away from the competition and she excelled.''
 
Lillian Buzani added a runner-up finish in the 800 and placed third in the 1500, while her distance teammate Belle Adduci was fourth in each event. Both ran on the 4 x 800 title relay.
 
"Both Lillian and Belle showed their best when it mattered the most,'' Cervenka said. "Again, we really got the most of our nine athletes.''
 
Morgan Clifford was seventh in the 100 hurdles and sixth in the 400 hurdles. Alyssa Gaski was the only Chap who ran on all three relays, and Mya Mangan added to her pole vault title with a leg on the 4 x 100 relay.
 
Paulina Stachura tied for fourth in the high jump and ran on the 4 x 400 relay.
 
Upon conclusion of the event, Cervenka was named NJCAA coach of the year.
 
The team title is COD's sixth in school history and is the first time it has repeated since the Chaps won three straight from 2000-02.

All-Americans
The NJCAA recognizes its All-American honors by virtue of placing first, second or third in the championship. COD's All-Americans were:
First-team
Kiara Carter: 100, 200, 4 x 100 relay, 4 x 400 relay
Alexandra Ochab: 400, Long jump, 4 x 400 relay
Alyssa Gaski: 4 x 100 relay, 4 x 800 relay
Akira Lebron: 4 x 100 relay
Paulina Stachura: 4 x 400 relay
Mya Mangan: Pole vault, 4 x 100 relay
Morgan Clifford: 4 x 400 relay, 4 x 800 relay
Belle Adduci: 4 x 800 relay
Lillian Buzani: 4 x 800 relay
Second-team
Lillian Buzani: 800
Akira Lebron: Javelin
Honorable Mention
Lillian Buzani: 1500
 
NJCAA D3 Track and Field Championships
May 12-14, 2022
Hudson Valley Community College, Troy, N.Y.
Final
Team: 22 events ­— College of DuPage 138, RC Gloucester 111, Mineral Area 90, Harper 88, Suffolk 80, Finger Lakes 51, Hudson Valley 49, St. Charles CC 41, SUNY Broome 38, Howard CC 34.
100: 1. Kiara Carter 12.40
200: 1. Kiara Carter 25.88
400: 1. Alexandra Ochab 60.97
800: 2. Lillian Buzani 2:28.77, 4. Belle Adduci 2:33.62
1500: 3. Lillian Buzani 5:01.38, 4. Belle Adduci 5:15.27
100 hurdles: 7. Morgan Clifford 17.68
400 hurdles: 6 Morgan Clifford 1:13.89
4 x 100 relay: 1. Kiara Carter, Alyssa Gaski, Akira Lebron, Mya Mangan 49.51
4 x 400 relay: 1. Alexandra Ochab, Morgan Clifford, Paulina Stachura, Kiara Carter, 4:10.99
4 x 800 relay: 1. Belle Adduci, Alyssa Gaski, Morgan Clifford, Lillian Buzani, 10:22.20
Long jump: 1. Alexandra Ochab 5.35 m / 17-6 ¾), 6. Akira Lebron (4.92 m / 16-1 ¾)
High jump: T4. Akira Lebron (1.44 m / 4-8 ¾), T4. Paulina Stachura (1.44 m / 4-8 ¾)
Javelin: 2. Akira Lebron (32.35 m / 106-1)
Pole vault: 1. Mya Mangan (3.12 m / 10-2 ¾); 4. Akira Lebron (2.42 m / 7-11 ¼)
Triple jump: 5. Akira Lebron (10.53 m / 34-6 ¾)