Women’s Cross Country receives No. 2 national ranking prior to NAIA National Championships

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (November 7, 2022) – The Milligan University women's cross country team was tabbed as the No. 2 team in the final pre-nationals NAIA Women's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 Poll.

The ranking is Milligan's 12th-straight top-two national ranking. The Buffs claimed the 2021 NAIA national championship in women's cross country last fall. Taylor collected 19 first-place votes and led the poll with 529 rankings points. Milligan was the only other team to break 500 points (512). The Buffs have appeared in every national poll dating back to the 2015 season.

The Buffs captured Milligan's 17th Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) women's cross country championship in program history on Friday. Milligan placed six runners inside the top 10 to win with a team score of 21.

Freshman Ellen Mary Kearney was the AAC champion, AAC Runner of the Year and AAC Freshman of the Year as she won the 108-woman 5k in 17:28. Caitlin Dominy was the AAC runner-up in 17:59 and Alyssa Bearzi was third in 18:08. Lizzy Lucason joined the trio on the All-AAC First Team as she crossed seventh in 18:29.

Olivia Doran (eighth, 18:41) and Gracie Allen (10th, 18:56) earned All-AAC Second Team honors.

The 2022 AAC title marked the third-straight conference crown for the Buffs and secured the 20th-consecutive trip to the NAIA National Championships for Milligan women's cross country. The 2022 NAIA National Championships are set for Nov. 18 in Tallahassee, Fla. at 9:30 a.m.