DMACC Adds Men's Cross Country

Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) athletics director B.J. McGinn has announced that men's cross country is being added to the school's athletics department, beginning this fall. The new program will join the already existing Women's Cross Country program, which has been represented at the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association Championships and achieved a 14th place finish during the 2011-2012 season. "We're very excited to have men's cross country come to DMACC and we want people in Central Iowa and our district to spread the word," McGinn said. "We think (men's cross country) is going to be an exciting piece to our athletics program." The men's cross country program will be based at the Boone Campus, where all DMACC sports programs are located. McGinn also announced the hiring of Jordan Andrews as the new men's and women's cross country coach for DMACC. "Jordan was one of about 10 applicants that we had," McGinn said. "With his relationships and his involvement with high school programs I just felt like he would be a really good fit." Andrews said he thinks becoming the DMACC cross country coach is a great opportunity for him. "I feel like a successful program (at DMACC) can be built where we will have a lot of great kids from the State of Iowa who can compete at the next level," Andrews said. Andrews said he looks forward to using not only his own personal experiences in running to coach the Bears, but also his various experiences in coaching at the high school and collegiate levels. In 2016, Andrews and his wife, Lindsey, moved to Des Moines and opened a running and walking store, Heartland Soles. They also have a store in Coralville and work closely with all runners. Andrews spent last summer and fall as a volunteer assistant coach with the Johnston High School girls' cross country program, helping the Dragons to a second-place finish in the Iowa High School Cross Country Championships, one point behind Southeast Polk's winning score of 79. Andrews has also worked with local youth running clubs in the Des Moines area. Prior to living in Des Moines, Andrews also coached for his alma mater, Columbia College (Mo.), after the completion of his own athletic endeavors for the Cougars in Cross Country and Track and Field. For athletes interested in learning more about running cross country for the DMACC Bears, contact Head Coach Jordan Andrews at jmandrews1@dmacc.edu. (Via DMACC Bears Athletics)