Women’s XC holds at No. 2 in NAIA Top 25

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (September 21, 2023) – The Milligan University women's cross country team remained at No. 2 in the first in-season NAIA Women's Cross Country Top 25 Coaches' Poll.

Defending national champion Taylor stayed at the top spot after receiving all 21 first-place votes. The Buffs followed with 569 rankings points, followed by College of Idaho (555 rankings points).

Milligan earns a top-two national ranking for the 14th-straight poll. The Buffs have appeared in every top 25 rating dating back to the 2015 season and have received a top-10 national ranking in eight-consecutive years.

Milligan finished third at Appalachian State's Firetower Project Run and Virginia Tech's Alumni Invitational. In those two meets, Milligan finished ahead of five NCAA Division I programs, a regionally-ranked NCAA Division II Alabama-Huntsville team and NCAA Division III's No. 12 Lynchburg.

Returning All-Americans Ellen Mary Kearney and Caitlin Dominy have led the Buffs in their first two meets of the season. Both would have scored in Florida State's top five at Appalachian State as Kearney finished third and Dominy placed fourth. Kearney would also have finished in Virginia Tech's scoring five at Blacksburg. Dominy added a 13th-place finish at VT. Kearney was honored as the NAIA National Runner of the Week for her effort at App State.

The Buffs host the second edition of the Eli Cramer Invitational on Friday evening.