Milligan’s men’s and women’s cross-country teams competed at the NAIA Cross-Country National Championships on Nov. 21 at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Florida. The women’s team finished second overall, and the men’s team placed eighth, resulting in a third-place combined team finish.
Senior Ellen-Mary Kearney was Milligan’s top finisher in the women’s race, placing second with a time of 20:43.6 to earn NAIA All-American honors.
“Going into the race, I felt an expectation to come in the top three, so I was very happy and relieved to run well and finish second,” Kearney said. “I was delighted with my own performance, but our team performance was even better… our second-place team finish was really something special and took a lot of hard work from all of us to achieve.”
Freshman Annabelle Stewart placed ninth in 21:29.1, also earning All-American recognition in her first nationals appearance. Graduate student Alyssa Bearzi finished 30th in 21:51.4, giving Milligan three All-Americans in the women’s race.
In the men’s race, junior Bryson Lewis led Milligan with a 48th-place finish in 25:23.3. Junior Marti Molins Rallo finished 61st in 25:33.0, followed by junior Aaron Gottlied in 64th with a time of 25:34.5.
Both Milligan squads now turn their attention to the start of the indoor track and field season in December.
Cover Photo: Both Milligan’s men’s and women’s cross-country teams at the NAIA Cross-Country National Championships on Nov. 21 (by Jayci Brauman)
