(Butler, PA) A race, a walk and a dash Sept. 13 will raise funds to support Butler County Community College intercollegiate athletic programs that since December have turned graduates of Freeport, Seneca Valley and Moniteau high schools into All-Americans.
The college’s third Pioneer Pursuit will begin at 10 a.m. with a 5K race that includes three laps of the Shaffer Walking Trail that meanders inside BC3’s 330-acre main campus in Butler Township. The 1-mile walk starts at 10:30 a.m. and will include one lap of the trail. A 100-meter dash for children age 14 or under begins at 11 a.m. on College Drive across from Parking Lot 6.
Thirty or more BC3 student-athletes are expected to volunteer at the Pioneer Pursuit, according to Alayna Chizmar, the college’s assistant director of student life for athletics.
A 100-meter dash begins as part of Butler County Community College’s Pioneer Pursuit on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, on BC3’s main campus in Butler Township. The college’s third Pioneer Pursuit will be held Sept. 13 and include a 5K race, a 1-mile walk and the 100-meter dash for children age 14 or under. Proceeds will support the college’s intercollegiate athletic programs.
Josie Russo, a Freeport Area High School graduate, was selected as a National Junior College Athletic Association Division III All-American in December.
The registered nursing student at BC3 helped to lead the college’s volleyball team to a 25-2 record, to Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference and National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Region 20 championships in October, and to a subsequent Mid-Atlantic District appearance in Pinehurst, N.C., in November.
Jacob Marquardt, a Seneca Valley High graduate, and Taylor Voloch, Moniteau, earned All-American status at the NJCAA Division III national championship tournament in June in Chautauqua, N.Y., by finishing in the Top 18 among men and women, respectively.
Marquardt, a networking and cybersecurity student at BC3, was the medalist and the Pioneers the team winner in the WPCC men’s golf championship in October and in the NJCAA Division III Region 20 tournament in May, both held in Apollo.
Voloch is a psychology student at BC3 who became the golf program’s first women’s All-American.
From left, Matthew Schaefer, Elliette Smith and Philip Coachman are shown during a 5K race as part of Butler County Community College’s Pioneer Pursuit on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, on BC3’s main campus in Butler Township. Smith won the women’s 5K with a time of 22:22.89. The college’s third Pioneer Pursuit will be held Sept. 13 and include the 5K race, a 1-mile walk and a 100-meter dash for children age 14 or under. Proceeds will support the college’s intercollegiate athletic programs.
College’s athletics programs “doing incredibly well”
BC3’s intercollegiate athletics programs have won 59 WPCC and 29 Region 20 titles and have qualified for national championship tournaments 13 times. Russo, Marquardt and Voloch bring the number of BC3’s All-American awards to 40.
“It’s really important that the foundation can support BC3 athletics because they’re doing incredibly well,” said Mikayla Moretti, executive director of the BC3 Education Foundation and external relations, which is sponsoring the event. “When you do incredibly well in sports that means there is more travel, there are more needs, there are more team meals.
“It’s also important because BC3 athletics is all about the student experience. They have a full schedule with classes and they make time to be a part of the team. We want to make sure we support them and that they have the best experience possible.”
Tyler Eagan is shown during a 5K race as part of Butler County Community College’s Pioneer Pursuit on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, on BC3’s main campus in Butler Township. The college’s third Pioneer Pursuit will be held Sept. 13 and include the 5K race, a 1-mile walk and a 100-meter dash for children age 14 or under. Proceeds will support the college’s intercollegiate athletic programs.
Pioneer Pursuit medals will be awarded to the three males and three females with the lowest times in the 5K race, the top three finishers in 5K race age groups of 18 and under, 19 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49 and 50 and over; and to all 100-meter kids’ dash participants. Presentations will start at 11:30 a.m. in Parking Lot 6.
Participants receive free Pioneer Pursuit T-shirts
The registration fee is $35 for the 5K race, $35 for the 1-mile walk and $15 for the 100-meter kids’ dash. Participants in all events will receive a Pioneer Pursuit T-shirt at registration. Registered participants will also receive a free breakfast from Chick-fil-A.
A runner completes a 5K race as part of Butler County Community College’s Pioneer Pursuit on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, on BC3’s main campus in Butler Township. The college’s third Pioneer Pursuit will be held Sept. 13 and include the 5K race, a 1-mile walk and a 100-meter dash for children age 14 or under. Proceeds will support the college’s intercollegiate athletic programs.
Guests can register for the 5K race, a 1-mile walk or a 100-meter kids’ dash from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Sept. 13 at a check-in tent in Parking Lot 6. Those who wish to participate can also register early at https://runsignup.com/Race/PA/Butler/PioneerPursuit
BC3’s first Pioneer Pursuit in 2022 raised more than $16,000 for scholarships that included those in memory of nursing graduates who died at age 23 in 2019 and at age 26 in 2020. Its 2024 event generated $14,000 to support BC3 athletics programs and helped to purchase uniforms.
Kim Platt, Butler, won the women’s 5K in 2022 with a time of 22:36.61; and Elliette Smith, Butler, the 2024 race at 22:22.89.
Jack Kelley III, Saxonburg, won the men’s race in 2022 at 18:42.40; and Gavin Gardner, Butler, the 2024 5K in 19: 49.73.