Wings of America will sponsor a team of the fastest Native American runners ages 14-19 to compete at the USA Cross Country Championships. Nine young men and nine young women will represent the organization in the “Junior” age division races on January 11, 2025 in Lubbock, TX. Selected runners will have the unique opportunity to race the NCAA regular-season cross country distance (Women 6KM, Men 8KM), as well as compete against numerous college freshman. With the help of Wings and their regular-season coaches, these student-athletes will train through the winter holidays to stay in shape for running competition.
Runners were selected for the team based on their performance at post-season championship races, including Nike Cross Regionals and Footlocker Cross Country Regionals. College freshman that are age-eligible for the “Junior” race (will not turn 20 in 2025) were also considered for team selection based on their late-season collegiate times. After an open registration period in which runners identified themselves as eligible for selection, those with the 9 fastest regional qualifying times (or late-season collegiate times), men and women, were invited to be a part of the Wings National Team.
SELECTED RUNNERS
| Name/Grade | Tribal Affiliation(s) | Seed Time(s) | Qualifying Race(s) | School/Town |
| WOMEN | | | | |
| Stella Hall*/12th | Hopi | 18:21 | NXR Southwest | Highland HS, Gilbert, AZ |
| Janessa Segay*/12th | Diné | 18:42 | NXR Southwest | Chinle HS, Chinle, AZ |
| Taylor Biggambler*/11th | Diné | 18:53 | NXR Southwest | Flagstaff HS, Flagstaff, AZ |
| Damira Allen*/11th | Diné | 19:07 | NXR Southwest | Ganado HS, Ganado, AZ |
| Kylie Montaño/11th | Diné | 19:12 | NXR Southwest | Miyamura HS, Gallup, NM |
| Marisel Yepa/11th | Jemez Pueblo | 19:13 | NXR Southwest | V Sue Cleveland HS, Rio Rancho, NM |
| Karis Brightwings-Pease**/10th | Crow Tribe | 19:13 | NXR Northwest | Hardin HS, Hardin, MT |
| Jazelle Thompson/10th | Diné | 19:21 | NXR Southwest | Shiprock HS, Shiprock, NM |
| Madeline Castillo*/College Frosh | Pueblo of Acoma | 23:19 | NCAA D-1 South Regional | University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL |
| MEN | | | | |
| Symond Martin*/11th | Diné | 15:31 | NXR Southwest | Page HS, Page, AZ |
| Trajn Swalstad/12th | Colville Tribe | 15:43 | NXR Northwest | Worland HS, Worland, WY |
| Elijah England/10th | Diné | 15:48 | NXR Southwest | Navajo Prep, Farmington, NM |
| Tagoyo Pedro/11th | Laguna Pueblo | 15:48/16:40 | NXR Southwest | Laguna-Acoma HS, Casa Blanca, NM |
| Benjamin Benally/11th | Diné | 16:04 | NXR Southwest | Valley Lutheran HS, Phoenix, AZ |
| Jonathan (Ephraim) Staley/11th | Blood Tribe | 16:10/16:22 | Footlocker South/NXR Midwest | Mankato West HS, Mankato, MN |
| Bearren Kee*/11th | Diné | 16:14/16:54 | NXR Southwest/Footlocker West | Window Rock HS, Ft. Defiance, AZ |
| Darian Penn/12th | Diné | 16:14 | NXR Southwest | Piedra Vista HS, Farmington, NM |
| Lucas Williams*/12th | Tohono O’odham/Diné | 16:15 | NXR Southwest | Mica Mountatin HS, Tucson, AZ |
**Selected for National Team, but missed acceptance deadline
NOTE: Three runners selected for the 2025 National Team; Maddie Castillo, Symond Martin, Ephraim Staley are children of runners that have made previous Wings National Teams. We are especially proud that our program continues to foster the ambitions of multiple generations of Native runners!
SEED TIMES FOR ALL ELIGIBLE RUNNERS
115 student-athletes completed the application to be considered for the 2025 Wings National Team. Of these 115, 85 runners eventually posted a seed time: 58 (55 HS, 3 College) boys, 27 (25 HS, 2 College) girls. An impressive 28 Tribes were represented amongst these prospective qualifiers: Northern Cheyenne, Cheyenne River Sioux, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Cheyenne & Arapaho, Mvskokee/Creek Nation, Cherokee, Zuni Pueblo, Taos Pueblo, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, Blood Tribe, Jicarilla Apache, Hopi, Pueblo of Acoma, Pueblo of Laguna, Pueblo of San Il Defonoso, Pueblo of Santo Domingo, Pueblo of San Felipe, Pueblo of Jemez, Santa Clara Pueblo, Zuni Pueblo, Gros Venture, Lake Superior Band of Chippewa Indians Red Cliff Band, Colville Tribe, Tohono O’odham, Pascua Yaqui, Crow Tribe, Caddo Nation & Diné
Please see information about all runners that posted seed times below:
Wings National Team Winter Training Camp
In addition to traveling with Wings to USA Cross Country Championships, National Team members are traditionally invited to a training camp hosted in Albuquerque, NM over the holidays. Apart from providing additional motivation to train for Nationals, this camp provides an opportunity for Team Members to get to know one another before their travels. However, because of the short timeframe between the holidays and USA Cross Country Championships in 2025, Wings has chosen to cancel the training camp opportunity to preserve the energy and health of National Team Members. Wings hopes to revive the winter training camp in future years.
The Wings National Team opportunity was created to showcase the talents of Native American youth and provide exposure to higher levels of competition in the company of runners from different tribes. Many program alumni have earned the attention of college coaches and/or a spot on a junior national team competing for “Team USA” internationally. Wings National Teams have captured 35 national titles since their debut in 1988.
Qualifying Race Registration & Lodging Assistance
Wings provided dozens of deserving student-athletes with travel and race registration assistance to attend their regional qualifying race. This year Wings staff and student-athletes travelled to Nike Cross Southwest Regional in Mesa, AZ on November 22-23, 2024. Dozens of others made the trip with their families, with race registration and lodging covered by the Wings organization.
Wings will assisted Native American high school student-athletes wishing to qualify for the Wings National Team with one or more of the following:
–Race Registration Fees
-Hotel Room Costs
-Travel to NXR SW Race
To receive NXR or Champs Sports Regional race assistance, runners met the following standards:
- Finish at or below the qualifying time in at least one (5K) race during the 2024 high school cross country season.
- Boys: 17:40
- Girls: 21:30
- **If your state races a distance other than 5K, please contact Wings for a qualifying time**
- Complete the 2025 Wings National Team Application.
- Submit a grade check form and class schedule.
- Must be in good academic standing (C average or better in each class) to receive assistance.
- Provide proof of affiliation in a state or federally recognized tribal nation (United States only).
Wings National Team Application and grade check form must be submitted at least seven (7) days before the student-athlete participates in qualifying race.
Nike Cross Regionals (NXR):
NXR Northwest Regional Boise, Idaho (November 16, 2024)
States include: AK, HI, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY
NXR Heartland Regional Sioux Falls, South Dakota (November 10, 2024)
States include: IA, KS, MN, NE, ND, SD, WI
NXR Midwest Regional Terre Haute, Indiana (November 17, 2024)
States include: IN, IL, OH, MI, MO
NXR Southwest Regional Mesa, Arizona (November 23, 2024)
States include: AZ, CO, NM, NV, UT
NXR South Regional The Woodlands, Texas (November 23, 2024)
States include: AR, LA, OK, TX, MS
NXR Southeast Regional Cary, North Carolina (November 23, 2024)
States include: DE, MD, VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, TN, KY, WV, DC
NXR Northeast/New York Regional Wappingers Falls, New York (November 23, 2024)
States include: NJ, NY, PA, CT, MA, ME, VT, RI, NH
Footlocker Cross Country Regionals:
Footlocker West Regional Walnut, CA (December 7, 2024)
States include: AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY
Footlocker Northeast Regional Greater Boston, MA area (November 30, 2024)
States include: CT, DE, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT, DC
Footlocker South Regional Charlotte, NC (November 30, 2024)
States include: AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV
Footlocker Midwest Regional Kenosha, WI (November 30, 2024)
States include: CO, IL, IN, OH, MI, MN, MO, ND, SD, WI
Special Thanks:
Wings would like to recognize the Padma Family Foundation for making a $5,000 contribution three years running to help the organization cover travel and race registration costs for Native runners and their families attempting to make the Wings National Team. Thank you Padma! We look forward to many more miles together!
Questions? Contact Mariah Gachupin, Program Director
Ph: (505) 521-9799 Email: mariah@wingsofamerica.org
