SAVANNAH RIVERA EARNS ALL-AMERICAN HONORS WITH NJCAA NATIONAL RUNNER-UP FINISH
Savannah Rivera delivered a standout performance for Roane State, culminating her sophomore cross country season with a national runner-up finish and All-American honors at the NJCAA Division II Women’s Championship on November 8, 2025. Racing in heavy snow—a first for the Tennessee native—she clocked 18:47.2, taking control early by leading through 2.3 miles before slipping to fourth late in the race and surging with a strong final 400-meter kick to secure second place. Despite the challenging conditions, where runners had to navigate tire tracks for traction rather than pure speed, Rivera described staying mentally sharp and aggressive throughout what her coach Bobby Holcombe called her best race of the season.
After transferring to Roane State following recurring injuries, Rivera joined the young program in early August and progressed patiently under Holcombe’s guidance, focusing on adaptation before peaking later in the fall. Her breakthrough came at the home meet on September 12, where she shattered the women’s 5K course record with an 18:54 on the redesigned Harriman trail. She followed that with a dominant wire-to-wire victory at the TCCAA/NJCAA Region VII Championships in late October, running 18:30—over a minute ahead of the field—and helping all five Raiders qualify for nationals for the first time in program history.
Raised in a large Tennessee family of 12, Rivera began running at age four and credits her siblings’ involvement with sparking her passion. After her first fully injury-free season, earning All-American status felt especially rewarding. Her success has set a high standard for the developing Roane State program, with Holcombe noting that Rivera, alongside teammates like Kailee and Graham, is helping establish a foundation for future athletes. Rivera plans to return for her final season in fall 2026, aiming to build on her fitness over the summer and target even faster times.
