KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Joy Koole, a sophomore from Dordt (Iowa), has been named this week’s NAIA Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week for her efforts over the period ending on Sunday, September 27, 2026.
Koole took part in the Augustana Invitational at Yankton Trails Park in Sioux Falls, S.D., and was the top NAIA runner in the event with an eighth-place finish. Her time over the 6k course was 21:08.9, and she also set a new program record by seven seconds. Koole’s mark is the fourth-fastest time in the NAIA this fall over the 6k distance.
Dordt will compete next on Saturday, October 10, at the Holiday Inn Express Classic in Sioux Center, Iowa.
About the NAIA
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small college athletics programs dedicated to character-driven, education-based athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has balanced high-level competition with holistic student-athlete development through its commitment to The Right Way to Play®. Each year more than 87,000 NAIA student-athletes compete in college athletics, earn over $1.3 billion in financial aid, and pursue opportunities to participate in 30 national championships. naia.org | @NAIA | #TheRightWayToPlay
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