The first teams from the Michigan Community College Athletic Association to win back-to-back national titles, MCC’s Cross Country squads were guided by veteran coach Roelofs ‘Rudy’ Bartels, who started his coaching career in 1945. A Muskegon Heights High School graduate,  Bartels had guided  Jayhawk basketball teams to consecutive Junior College state basketball championships in 1945-46 and 1946-47.

In 1963 at the 5th Annual National Junior College Athletic Association championship,  hosted in Erie, Pa,  MCC grabbed their first national title, besting a field of 15 schools. Roger Plont won the event’s individual national championship, besting the pack of 90 runners, while Scott Barton (7th) and Roger Hamel (8th) also placed in the Top 10.

The team repeated as champions in 1964 at the national meet, this time held in Jackson, MI. Ken Merkins and Scott Barton were the only returning members from the 1963 team. Barton finished fifth in the field of 89 runners with Mike Gaunt took ninth. Other members of the 1963 team were Dave Hopkins, Bill Bringedahl and Bill Kowalski. Other members of the 1964 team were Mike Smith, Mike Cassady, John Dobson, Tom Redenius, Dave Bolduc, Chuck Krupa and Fred Britton.