In its inaugural season, the North Central College women’s triathlon team finished as NCAA Division III National Champions. Leading the way at the national championship for the Cardinals were Nikki Banas (’20) and Grace Miller (’20), who finished in first and second respectively out of the DIII competitors.
The success at nationals was a proud moment for the team. “I feel accomplished, seeing all of us grow throughout the season,” said Miller. “We’ve come so far since the beginning of the season.”
They finished as champions, but expectations were ambiguous coming into the season. “I had no idea what to expect,” said Banas. “We just wanted to do our best and grow as a team, and we ended up performing well.”
After this accomplishment in the inaugural season, the Cardinals are looking to follow-up with a strong second season. “We’re hungry for next year, especially after competing in a national championship,” said Miller.
Training will be different next season for the Cardinals as well, now that the team has a year of experience under its belt.
“This season we were learning how to clip in and out of the bike and learning how to do the transitions,” said Banas. “I think next year we’ll really be able to focus on improving our speed.”
Overall, the experience of competing in and succeeding at nationals was exciting for the young team. “I feel excited and lucky to be part of the team,” said Banas. “It was a really fun experience.”
