No. 2 Lady Buffs Cross Country Snatches AAC Title, Nabs Fifth Straight Championship

The Milligan women's cross country team notched their fifth straight AAC title in Knoxville on Friday morning, snatching a three-point win with five All-AAC runners

November 8, 2024

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On Friday morning, the Milligan University women's cross country squad participated in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Women's Cross Country Championships at Sequoyah Park in Knoxville. The Lady Buffs' squad was able to outpace Montreat by three points to earn their fifth straight AAC team title.

Alyssa Bearzi was Milligan's top finisher, placing third as an individual with a time of 21:10.1. It was her top 6k of the season by more than a minute, as she saved her top performance for an incredibly important race. She was also named All-AAC First Team.

"Alyssa had a really nice run today," head coach Chris Layne opined, "and there's no doubt she's starting to find her rhythm at the right time."

Kirsten Geary returned to the course after not racing two weeks ago due to an injury. She finished fifth and joined Bearzi on the First Team with a 21:21.8 clip.

Ellen-Mary Kearney finished just behind her in sixth with a time of 21:32.1, while Patricia Barrera also finished in the top seven with a clip of 21:55.5. Both Kearney and Barrera rounded out the conference's First Team.

Freshman Karly Wiljhelm posted a 22:15.0 to reach her personal-best mark by more than a minute. She earned All-AAC Second Team plaudits. She was also named to the All-AAC Freshman Team.

"Like the men, the women just had each others backs today," Layne said. "If there was a spot we didn't have a good run, someone stepped up to fill that – Patricia and Karly really answered the bell today."

Ashlyn Haas (15th, 22:38.1), Gracie Franklin (19th, 22:53.4), Hannah Brown (21st, 22:59.9), Anna Jones (22nd, 23:05.2), Natalie Fellers (23rd, 23:19.3), Cameron Walker (25th, 23:32.4), McKenna Spaulding (26th, 23:49.6), Annie Kate McDermott (31st, 24:07.0) and Joanna Halterman (32nd, 24:14.9) all finished in great standing in approximately the top third of the field.

Franklin and Halterman were also named to the conference's Freshman Team, alongside Wiljhelm. The Milligan staff was named Staff of the Year for 2024, as well.

"I am really proud of this program – our admin, our coaches and our student-athletes," Layne Stated. "You're not going to win all of these, all of the time, but if you're in the conversation year in and year out, I think that says a lot about the culture our women have created and there are a lot of former athletes responsible for that."

Now, after celebrating another major accomplishment, Milligan will look ahead to the NAIA Women's Cross Country National Championships in Columbia, Mo. on Nov. 22, where they aim for a return to the top of the podium, a spot they last held in 2021.