Women’s Cross Country finishes second with three All-Americans at NAIA National Championships

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (November 18, 2022) – The Milligan University women's cross country team finished second overall with three All-Americans at the NAIA National Championships in Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee on Friday morning.

Milligan's men also ran to a national runner-up team finish and the Buffs collected the combined team title in the postrace awards ceremony.

"Two runner-up finishes, seven all-Americans and the combined team honor," said head coach Chris Layne. "Just a great day all the way around. This is a fun bunch and so so proud of their effort today."

Taylor took the women's team title as the Trojans had seven All-Americans and a team score of 50. Milligan was second at 177 and College of Idaho finished third with 201 points. Three All-Americans matched a program record set last year when the Buffs won the 2021 NAIA national championship. The runner-up finish marks Milligan's fifth top-10 team finish in the last six years and eighth-straight top-15 showing.

"I really think both squads ran as well as they could have so just a big congrats to both Taylor and Dordt on their team titles," said Layne.

Milligan had the second-best team total time (90:33) and average time (18:06) at the 36-team, 236-runner event.

Running in her first NAIA National Championship, Ellen Mary Kearney led the Buffs and secured All-American honors with an eighth-place finish in 17:33.

Caitlin Dominy secured individual All-America laurels for the first time in her career as she crossed 14th in 17:43. Alyssa Bearzi collected All-America honors for the second-straight year with a 17:48 time, good for 18th.

Lizzy Lucason was 77th (18:41) and Olivia Doran finished 91st (18:46) as Milligan had three freshmen in their top five at the championship meet.

Gracie Allen (18:58) and Natalie Fellers (20:03) completed the Buffs' top seven in 110th and 243rd, respectively.

"As a coach, it's important to see your crew perform well on the biggest stage - and that's what they're looking for - they did that - they're going to leave here with a lot of momentum," said Layne.