Milligan up to No. 5 in WXC national poll
Milligan University women’s cross country made a big move in the latest national top-25 poll, jumping to No. 5. The Buffaloes have won four of five events this season and remain undefeated with their top group and when facing NAIA competition. The NAIA announced the poll on Thursday.
MILLIGAN, Tenn. (Oct. 29, 2020) – Milligan University women's cross country made a big move in the latest national top-25 poll, jumping to No. 5. The Buffaloes have won four of five events this season and remain undefeated with their top group and when facing NAIA competition. The NAIA announced the poll on Thursday.
The Buffs have been inside the top 17 since Nov. 8, 2015, and now have peaked inside the top five four times in the last three seasons.
The Buffs have been especially good lately, winning the Appalachian Athletic Conference Preview their last time out. Avery DeWolf and Gabrielle Mardis paced Milligan at the event with first- and third-place finishes as Milligan ran away with the team title. DeWolf's win marked her third victory in three races, and she has run near the 18-minute mark in each of the last two events.
DeWolf and Mardis were the first of seven Buffs inside the top 12 at the AAC Preview. Caitlin Dominy took seventh and Bekah Owen, Gracie Allen, Ali Burns and Kelsey Mowrey went nine through 12.
"I really like what I've seen from our women the last two weeks," Head Coach Chris Layne says. "They've found a little spark and we look to be tightening our screws at number five through seven or eight. Like the men, they'll be focused on doing everything they possibly can to stay out of trouble as it relates to COVID-19."
Milligan has dominated this season with a 13-2 record and dominated the AAC with four of the six runner of the week honors. DeWolf has two of them (Oct. 7, Oct. 21) while Kaelyn Slaughter (Sept. 30) and Mowrey (Oct. 14) have one apiece.
Milligan will next be in action on Saturday, Nov. 14, for the AAC Championships, marking the conclusion of their fall schedule. The NAIA Men's and Women's Cross Country National Championships have been moved to Friday, April 9, 2021.
"With some programs not competing this fall, the rankings look a little different," Layne adds, "but if we have the opportunity to come together in April for the national championships, our expectation is to have both programs inside the top 10 with a shot to really finish the year off the right way."