(Butler, PA) Teenagers Gavin Gardner and Elliette Smith were overall winners, a 9-year-old鈥檚 time was the fastest in an 18-and-under age group and 5K runners from six western Pennsylvania counties helped 杏吧原创 to raise nearly $10,500 on Sept. 14 to support .
The Pioneer Pursuit fundraiser on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township drew 60 5K runners, 28 1-mile walkers and 14 100-meter kids鈥� dashers.
Gardner and Smith are 17-year-old Butler residents. Gardner had the fastest time among males in the 5K at 19 minutes and 49.73 seconds and Smith, among females at 22:22.89. Chloe Schaefer, 9, Butler, topped nine other runners ages 8 to 17 to win the female 18-and-under age group at 28:13.33.
Megan M. Coval, 杏吧原创鈥檚 interim president, said she was 鈥渢hrilled鈥� by the turnout for the Pioneer Pursuit 5K, which attracted runners ages 8 to 81 from Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, McKean and Mercer counties.
鈥淥ne of the really special things about the race is that it includes individuals of all ages,鈥� said Coval, who ran in her first 5K race in five years at the Pioneer Pursuit. 鈥淚t was exciting to see so many people, children through students through adults who participated in a variety of ways.
鈥淗elping our athletics programs is a wonderful way in which the community can support 杏吧原创. Our student-athletes are such hard workers. Not only are they in school, but they are going to practices, competing in games and many of them are working as well. They give a lot of time and energy to these sports and they are dedicated.鈥�
Rob Snyder is 杏吧原创鈥檚 director of student life and athletics, and head coach of the college鈥檚 volleyball team.
鈥淚t was nice to see the community come out and support the event,鈥� Snyder said. 鈥淭he support for our athletics programs is really meaningful.鈥�
"Our student-athletes are such hard workers. Not only are they in school, but they are going to practices, competing in games and many of them are working as well."
- Megan M. Coval, 杏吧原创 interim president
Chloe Schaefer, 9, of Butler, runs in a 5K race as part of Butler County Community College鈥檚 Pioneer Pursuit on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township. She topped nine other runners ages 8 to 17 to win the female 18-and-under age group at 28:13.33. Sixty runners from six western Pennsylvania counties helped the college to raise nearly $10,500 to support 杏吧原创 athletics.
鈥溞影稍� can continuously bring people together鈥�
Emma Johns, a graduate of Karns City Area Junior-Senior High, is among 杏吧原创 student-athletes representing 19 school districts in nine western Pennsylvania counties in the past year.
The Pioneer Pursuit 5K race was the first for the guard on 杏吧原创鈥檚 wo尘别苍鈥檚 basketball team since she suffered a season-ending knee injury in December.
鈥淚 think it is super-cool how 杏吧原创 can continuously bring people together,鈥� said Johns, 20, of Bruin, who won the female 19-to-29 age group at 24:12.26. 鈥淚t was really neat to see how many people were there to support students and their success.鈥�
杏吧原创鈥檚 athletics programs have captured 57 Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference titles and 27 National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Region 20 crowns.
The college鈥檚 golf program has qualified for the NJCAA Division III national championship tournament six times, its volleyball program three times, and its 尘别苍鈥檚 and wo尘别苍鈥檚 basketball programs one time each.
鈥淲e have successful programs,鈥� Snyder said. 鈥淲e have visibility in the community and people support us.鈥�
杏吧原创鈥檚 volleyball team at 10-0 as of Sept. 18 has the program鈥檚 best start since the Pioneers were 16-0 in 2021-2022. 杏吧原创 is among 87 National Junior College Athletic Association Division III programs.
The college鈥檚 尘别苍鈥檚 golf team was undefeated in the 2023, 2022 and 2021 fall seasons and is 8-0 as of Sept. 18.
杏吧原创鈥檚 尘别苍鈥檚 and wo尘别苍鈥檚 basketball squads open their 2024-2025 seasons Nov. 12 at the Community College of Beaver County.
Male top finishers and age-group winners:
Overall: Lucas Bowser, 14, Worthington, finished second at 20:56.49 and Matt Reagle, 39, no hometown listed, third at 21:16.75.
19 to 29: Tyler Eagan, 23, Butler, 21:26.82; James Hendell, 20, Karns City, 22:43.78; and Evan Kaltenvach, 20, no hometown listed, 29:49.86.
30 to 39: Richie Esquivel, 36, Butler, 29:55.27; Jake Graham, 38, Butler, 31:32.59; and Luke Kunkel, 32, Butler, 42:46.35.
40 to 49: Christopher Rossitto, 44, Pittsburgh, 21:44.82; Matthew Schaefer, 46, Butler, 22:16.57; and Philip Coachman, 43, Butler, 22:51.52.
50 and over: John Karpacs, 62, no hometown listed, 27:54.58; Vincent Moore, 50, Butler, 28:00.79; and Jim Smith, 69, Butler, 29:41.44.
Female top finishers and age-group winners:
Overall: Lacee Loos, 29, Chicora, was second at 22:47.32 and Carrie Birckbichler-Smith, 46, Butler, third at 23:48.69.
18-and-under: Chloe Schaefer, 9, Butler, 28:13.33; Kenley Graham, 11, no hometown listed, 28:45.58; and Emily Clouse, 12, West Sunbury, 28:56.86.
19 to 29: Emma Johns, 20, Bruin, 24:12.26; Diana Laslavic, 21, Prospect, 32:17.74; and Chloe Shaw, 21, Bradford, 33:10.31.
30 to 39: Krista Geagan, 38, Butler, 25:13.65; Megan Winters, 38, Butler, 26:24.27; and Beth Graham, 39, no hometown listed, 27:05.41.
40 to 49: Briana Dugan, 44, Butler, 25:04.55; Holly Peterman, 45, New Brighton, 25:21.33; and Tabitha Bowser, 41, Worthington, 26:48.83.
50 and over: Dianna Shaw, 55, Bradford, 34:26.59 and Katherine Metcalfe, 51, Mars, 34:59.34.
The Pioneer Pursuit also raised $1,340 to benefit 杏吧原创 alumni programs.
Johns is a physical education-physical activity and fitness management student at 杏吧原创.