PELLA — Solon High School graduates Ben DeValk and Annika Kruse are members of Central College’s cross country teams this season.
On the women’s side, Coach Joe Dunham returns 14 letterwinners and four of its top seven varsity runners for 2022. The team finished third at the American Rivers Conference Meet, and sixth at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional. Central has made four appearances at the NCAA Division III Championships, most recently in 2009. The Dutch opened the 2022 season with a first-place finish at the Central Dutch Invitational Sept. 2 and are currently ranked fifth in the Midwest Region.
Kruse is a freshman.
On the men’s side, Coach Dunham returns seven letterwinners and four starting runners. The team finished fifth at the conference meet and sixth at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional. Central has made seven appearances at the NCAA Division III Championships, most recently in 2015. The Dutch opened the season with a first-place finish at the Central Dutch Invitational Sept. 2
DeValk, a sophomore, posted a career-best 8,000-meter time of 28:33 at last year’s Jim Drews Invitational and had a career-best finish of 29th place in last year’s Dutch Invitational. He was 146th in 29:44 in the 2021 American Rivers Conference meet.

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Dan L. Vander Beek Photography • Contributed Photo

Ben DeValk