Buffs make another big move in national polls
Race times and national rankings continue to get lower and lower for Milligan College’s cross-country teams. After a successful weekend which saw both the women and men finish runner-up in a large field loaded with tough competition, Milligan’s women moved to No. 6 while Milligan’s men moved to No. 12 according to the latest NAIA coaches top 25 poll.
MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (Oct. 3, 2019) – Race times and national rankings continue to get lower and lower for Milligan College's cross-country teams. After a successful weekend which saw both the women and men finish runner-up in a large field loaded with tough competition, Milligan's women moved to No. 6 while Milligan's men moved to No. 12 according to the latest NAIA coaches top 25 poll.
It marks the highest national ranking of the season for both teams and the highest for the women since ranking No. 4 at this time one year ago.
Sophomore Gabrielle Mardis and junior Nathan Baker have been the primary leaders for each squad so far this year. Mardis has led the women twice, including winning the Dual at Buffalo Creek before taking fourth overall in a loaded field at the Queen City Invitational. Baker also won the Dual at Buffalo Creek before landing a spot in the top 10 at No. 9 at Queen City.
"We were really hoping for a strong run in Charlotte, and I think we did enough to justify the potential of this team at the national level," Head Coach Chris Layne said. "From my perspective it was enough to now settle back into a solid window of training to get ready for an important four-week stretch into the championship portion of the season."
Milligan continues the season with another hosted meet when the Buffs welcome the Cavaliers of Montreat College Friday, Oct. 25, for the Dual at Tweetsie Trail. After that, Milligan will enter the championship season with the Appalachian Athletic Conference meet (Friday, Nov. 8) and NAIA meet (Friday, Nov. 22).