A few former Pella standouts continued competing in college this fall. Let’s check in on those athletes in and their 2023 seasons (in order of graduating class):

Caroline McMartin, Central College (Class of 2020)
McMartin finished her remarkable season at the NCAA Division III National Championships, placing 12th as an individual, leading the Dutch to a 9th place finish as a team. McMartin’s 21:20.8 was over a minute faster than her 2022 appearance and got her back-to-back All-American honors. Caroline finished 2nd at the NCAA Regional meet and 3rd at the American Rivers Conference meet.

Click here for an interview with McMartin earlier this month.

Ellie Roorda, Central College (Class of 2020)

Roorda capped her season at the American Rivers Conference meet with an impressive 24:39 6K and a 49th place finish among 122 individuals. That beat her 2022 performance by nearly two minutes and 22 spots.

Josiah Wittenberg, Dordt University (Class of 2022)

Wittenberg earned NAIA Scholar Athlete status for the first time with the program. In order to be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, must appear on the eligibility certificate for the sport and have attended one full year at said institution. Josiah ran a 26:46.3 8K at the 2023 Blazing Tiger meet. Wittenberg will look to make significant impact on the track this spring after several top eight finishes.

Chase Lauman, UNI (Class of 2023)

The reigning distance king of Class 3A track and field opened his collegiate career with a 7th place finish in a 6K at the Cyclone preview, and improved on his 8K time through the season, dropping to a best of 25:27 — placing 81st out of 232 athletes.