Salt Lake Community College’s men’s and women’s cross country teams run races hoping to receive an award and beat their personal and academic records. These student-athletes train to go to Nationals and, hopefully, sign professional deals.
Success on the track
JaQuavious Harris, a member of the men’s cross country and track-and-field team, came to SLCC to be a runner, then also became a student. He won Nationals at the NJCAA Division I Cross Country National Championships in Virginia in 2024.
According to Deseret News, Harris and a female athlete, Billie Hatch, each earned a win two years ago in a half-marathon. Harris individually set National records at NJCAA races in 2024; he was recognized for being named Athlete of the Year, winning the Team Title and being the record holder for SLCC.
Harris signed professionally in December with Saucony and plans to continue as long as possible.
“I’ve always dreamt of being that guy who is honored for certain things, but when it actually happened, it felt surreal in a way,” Harris said. “Once you get to that finish line and you’re recovered, you feel like you wanna do it all over again. I don’t know what it is.”
Reason for the track
Winning Nationals is quite an award to have in your name, but it’s not the only reason Harris runs. Harris said he considers his team to be his best friends and family.
“The reason that I started running was because I was actually bullied a lot in junior high. Once I got to cross country and track, that was like my safe haven,” Harris said. “I’ve noticed that the environment on that team was just so different; it was so nice. They made me want to be better and I’m like, ‘alright, I found my home now’.”
Running does a lot of good things for a person’s health, both physically and mentally. Harris is proof of the benefits of running; besides the intensity on the track, he finds it calming and fun.
Whether trying to overcome an obstacle or build self-confidence, as a student-athlete, having supportive teammates can make a difference.
Kelsey Gilbert, an assistant cross country and track coach with SLCC, said that each member loves being on the team, where they are surrounded by great team culture and have support not only on the track, but also personally.
Behind the track
SLCC participates in a several cross-country race competitions such as the 5k, 8k, 10k, half-marathon, mile, 1500m, and National Championships. The Bruin men’s cross country and track-and-field team has almost 100 members.
“This is only the third year of the program, and it has already had a lot of success,” Gilbert said.
Join the track
For more information on SLCC cross country and track, or other college sports teams, visit the SLCC Bruins website.
