DeWolf, No. 8 women win AAC Preview

SWANNANOA, N.C. (Oct. 17, 2020) – Avery DeWolf and Gabrielle Mardis went 1-3, and the No. 8 Milligan University women's cross country team won the Appalachian Athletic Conference Preview Saturday morning. The win marked the Buffs' fourth of the season so far and kept them undefeated with their top group and against NAIA competition.

"This was definitely our best effort one through seven on the women's side," Head Coach Chris Layne said, "but we have to get cleaned up in a few places heading into the next month."

DeWolf ran the 5k race in a winning time of 18:09 while Mardis followed in 18:29. The pair represented the first of seven Buffs inside the top 12. Caitlin Dominy came next in seventh in 18:51 before Bekah Owen (19:01) and Gracie Allen (19:15) rounded out Milligan's scoring in ninth and 10th.

"It's been so much fun watching Avery develop both in confidence and as a leader," Layne said. "She is an extremely talented young lady, and it's neat to see her continue to take steps. Gabby also had a great day today, and I think both Ali Burns and Kelsey Mowrey took steps in the right direction, which we need from both of them."

Burns (19:32) and Mowrey (19:38) finished 11th and 12th. As a team, Milligan won by a landslide, scoring 30 points which was 15 better than Lenoir Rhyne (45) and 27 points better than the next closest AAC school (57 points).

Up next, Milligan competes at the AAC Championships on Saturday, Nov. 14. Montreat is set to host the event. The AAC Championships will wrap up the fall slate for the Buffs, as the NAIA National Championships were moved to Friday, April 9, 2021. The Buffs have won the AAC Championship 14 of the last 17 years.