Buffs move up to No. 4 in national poll

MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (Nov. 12, 2019) – A strong finish at the Appalachian Athletic Conference Cross Country Championship helped the Milligan College women make another significant move in the national spotlight. After landing runner-up to No. 1 SCAD Atlanta by two points, the Buffs moved to No. 4 in the latest national poll.

Milligan's men, who secured their third AAC title in the last five years, held steady at No. 15 nationally.

"I think the women will gain a lot of confidence coming off AAC's," Head Coach Chris Layne said. "They needed to see they can compete with the best, and I think they will line up in Washington with a different mindset."

Sophomore Bekah Owen led Milligan at the AAC meet, landing fifth individually to earn a spot on the All-Conference first team. Sophomores Gabrielle Mardis and Avery DeWolf followed next in eighth and ninth before junior Amy Ferguson and seniors Katlyn Haas and Erica Stone went 11th through 13th. All five earned spots on the All-Conference second team.

The effort saw Milligan claim 45 points, second only to SCAD Atlanta (43 points), who has been the top-ranked NAIA program since Oct. 17.

On the men's side, the Buffs were voted once again at No. 15, marking five straight weeks inside the top 15. Junior Nathan Baker earned AAC Runner of the Year honors after winning the men's race with an 8k time of 25:01. Junior Tim Thacker followed shortly behind as the individual runner-up in 25:05.

Milligan heads to the national championship in Vancouver, Washington, next week. Races are set for Friday, Nov. 22, with the men beginning at 1:30 p.m. eastern time and the women following at 2:30 p.m.

"If our women can tighten the screws one through five, we're going to have a fighting chance to get on the podium. Most of our women are back from last year so they know what to expect in a championship environment."