Lady Red Devils finish the season with pair of All Americans
FORT DODGE, Iowa — THE TWO All-American women are household names to local sports fans. Elka Billings, a freshman who starred in cross country and track and field for Iola and Crest high schools, placed third in the women’s race, finishing the 5K route in 19 minutes, 14.26 seconds. Iolan Rachel Bycroft, another freshman, placed ninth, finishing in 19:51.07. Each girl nearly running 2min personal bests and neither were ever among the Kansas state best, however what a year and the right situation can bring on.
“Those girls have earned it,” DeGrado said. “They’ve worked hard for it. For them to finish the way that they did, I wasn’t surprised. You see this a lot especially in my program, where a runner comes in and fully commits themselves to the process and the next thing their completely different runners. I knew at region 6 what they were capable of doing.”
For DeGrado it was important for him to see runners from local schools doing so well. “I haven’t had the greatest luck with local talent,” DeGrado said. “When I got Rachel and Elka, I was excited. I could quickly tell they were different. They wanted to be college runners and put the work needed to become a good college runner.”
Both runners took their lumps early in the season but made strides as the season progressed. Our first meet at Hutchinson wasn’t the best one, however each meet we ran out you were able to see their progression against other schools runners.
Part of their problem and you see this a lot of high school runners, he noted, was both would get too hard on themselves, and too worked up as race day approached.
“My biggest thing was to get them to stop being so serious with things they can’t control,” he said. “You could see them relax more and more and more.”
Now, with a successful year under their belts, DeGrado is eager to see the foundation they’ve provided for ACC’s women’s program. Largely due to COVID-19 restrictions and athletes declining to come to campus, the Allen women’s team had only three runners.
“With the foundation of all three girls (freshman McKenna Esfeld took 36th), that women’s program is going to be back,” DeGrado said. This reminds me of that 2015 season which thrusted our women’s program into the national spotlight among NJCAA teams.
Bycroft’s National performance almost never happened. She hadn’t run for the past two weeks due to a foot injury. “I didn’t know what to expect,” she said. “I knew I wasn’t going to let the pain stop me from running at nationals and accomplishing my goal of being an All-American. This personally was the happiest and best I’ve ever felt during a race, ever. I didn’t get a personal best time, but I did get All-American, so I was proud of that. This will definitely be a race and a cross country season I remember.”
Elka’s first college meet couldn’t have gone any worse for her. She got a side stitch and the next thing you know it was all downhill from there. She was able to take a step back and the next race she was able to execute better, then after that you could see she became much more comfortable running in college.
“Elka’s national race didn’t surprise me one bit, I even predicted she was going to do very well on that course because of her style of running. The 2nd year she has with me will be absolutely incredible, the sky is the limit for what she will do next season.” DeGrado said.
And with COVID wreaking havoc on this year’s athletic world anyway, DeGrado was optimistic, but wary, of what this year might entail.
“It’s like 2020 has been an everlasting game of Jumanji, where each month was like a new level,” DeGrado joked.
“There was so much uncertainty, about if we were even going to be around,” DeGrado said. “I’d like to think our team did all the right things, but you know they’re still kids. Yeah, we lucked out really well.
“This season was very stressful and mentally taxing,” he continued. “It was hard maintaining an environment, while constantly saying ‘stay away, stay away, stay away.’”
“Being able to share the meet with my son was with me. My wife was with me. I’m going to make sure I take that opportunity and soak it all in.”
“The goal will be to bring back a trophy for the women’s team also.”
NJCAA-Division II
National Championships
Women’s 5K
3. Elka Billings, 19:14.26,
9. Rachel Bycroft, 19:51.07
36. McKenna Esfeld, 20:58.11