Nathan Ciarlette was named the 2024 NJCAA DIII Men’s Cross Country National Athlete of the Year. Ciarlette, who hails from Joliet, Illinois, captured the individual title at the 2024 NJCAA DIII Cross Country Championships this past weekend in Mechanicsville, Virginia. The Joliet (Ill.) JC star crossed the finish line in 25:55.3, nearly five seconds faster than the runner-up. It was the first victory of the year and a lifetime 8k best for Ciarlette, who avenged being runner-up in the Region 4 Championships.