Women’s Cross Country collects No. 2 national ranking

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (October 27, 2022) – The Milligan University women's cross country team was tabbed as the No. 2 team in the nation in the final in-season edition of the NAIA Women's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 Poll.

The poll marks the 11th-straight week with a top-two national ranking for the 2021 NAIA national champions. Taylor takes over the top overall spot with 558 rankings points with Milligan recording 544 points, 22 points ahead of No. 3 Saint Mary. The Buffs have been featured in the last 58-consecutive NAIA national rankings dating back to the 2015 season.

Milligan earned its fourth-straight team title at the NAIA Appalachian Challenge on Friday. The Buffs won the event with a team score of 37, finishing ahead of No. 14 William Carey and No. 16 Montreat.

Ellen Mary Kearney, Alyssa Bearzi and Caitlin Dominy finished second, third and fourth overall in the 120-woman race. Kearney improved her personal best time by a second at 17:21. Bearzi ran 17:52 and Dominy crossed at 18:00.

Lizzy Lucason finished 11th in 18:29 and Gracie Allen ran a season-best 5k time of 19:07 to finish 18th. Olivia Doran made it six Buffs in the top 20 as she finished 20th in 19:11.

Milligan turns its attention to postseason competition in November. The Buffs head to Columbia, S.C. next Saturday at the Appalachian Athletic Conference Championships. The Buffs 16-time AAC Champions and winners of the last two AAC women's cross country titles. Milligan is seeking its 20th-straight team appearance in the NAIA National Championships this fall.