Men’s Cross Country captures Millgan’s first-ever NAIA National Championship

VANCOUVER, Wash. (November 19, 2021) – The Milligan University men's cross country team captured Milligan's first-ever NAIA team National Championship at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Championship Course on Friday morning.

A record four Buffs collected All-American status to push the program's all-time count to 16 men's cross country All-Americans. Milligan won the national title going away, with a team score of 115, 60 spots ahead of St. Mary (Kan.) at 175. The Buffs completed an undefaeted season against NAIA competition with their first-place team finish.

"Having the opportunity to sit back and watch this men's team all year, I knew they were special, but this is a tough league at the top and you have to do it on the day and in this sport there are no givens," said head coach Chris Layne. "I'm extremely proud of every guy in this program and this will be something they'll take with them the rest of their lives."

Sophomore Aaron Jones secured All-American status for the second-straight season as Milligan's top finisher for a second-straight national championship meet. He clocked in at 25:21 to finish 11th overall.

Senior Nathan Baker became the second three-time NAIA cross country All-American in team history, following in the footsteps of Milligan Athletics Hall of Famer Austin Ellis. He finished 14th in his final run on the cross country course for the Buffs with a 25:29 time.

Sophomore Eli Cramer took home All-American honors for the second-straight season with a 25:40 effort to place 20th. Graduate student Will Stockley, running in his first national championship for the Buffs, took 27th in 25:47.

Junior Jake Crow closed the book on the Buffs' top five with a 26:14 time, good for 58th. Per usual, Milligan's men posted a tight one-through-five spread of 53 seconds. 

Freshman Bryn Woodall ran 27:00 in his first-ever NAIA National Championship appearance to finish 131st. Grad student Alex Mortimer completed Milligan's top seven in 27:12, good for 156th.

Milligan became the third school to ever capture both NAIA Men's and Women's Cross Country National Championships in the same season as the women's cross country squad also took home an NAIA National Championship. Alyssa Bearzi took home the individual title and the Buffs won with a team score of 122. Layne captured NAIA Coach of the Year honors on the men's and women's side.