Elizabeth Ilanda was named the 2024 NJCAA DI Women’s Cross Country National Athlete of the Year. Ilanda, who hails from Tanzania, captured the individual title at the 2024 NJCAA DI Cross Country Championships this past weekend in Mechanicsville, Virginia. The El Paso (Texas) CC star cross the finish line in 17:08.0, seven seconds ahead of the runner-up. Ilanda won three of the five meets in which he competed this season, never losing to another athlete from a two-year program. Her achievements this fall included setting a course record of 17:16.3 at Harry McAdams Park in Hobbs, New Mexico.