VANCOUVER, Wash. – [COMBINED RESULTS] Milligan (Tenn.) made history Friday at the NAIA’s 42^nd Annual Women’s Cross Country National Championships at Fort Vancouver National Historic Championship Course. The Buffs won their first national championship with three of the top-11 finishers, including Alyssa Bearzi claiming the individual title.

The Buffs also took home the men’s title, making them the third program in NAIA history to sweep the team titles at the National Championship.  

Milligan (Tenn.) posted 122 points as a team, edging out St. Francis (Ill.) in second with 141 points. Cornerstone (Mich.) took third with 149 points, while Taylor (Ind.) came in fourth with 164 points. College of Idaho rounded out the top-five teams with 183 points.

Bearzi claimed the 5K win after passing two runners ahead of her in the final push to cross the finish line in 18 minutes, 14.9 seconds. Sydney Little Light of Rocky Mountain (Mont.) wasn’t far behind Bearzi after staying steady throughout the race. Light found her stride at the end to finish second with a time of 18:16.8.  

Breanna Alderton Brescia (Ky.) just edged out Becca Richtman of Montana Tech to take third in a time of 18:22.9. Richtman finished in 18:23.2 for fourth and Lemi Wutz of Milligan (Tenn.) rounded out the top-five with a time of 18:29.4.

Following the race, Milligan (Tenn.) head coach Chris Layne was named the 2021 NAIA Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year.

The top 40 finishers were named 2021 NAIA Women’s Cross Country All-Americans.