Nelson top NSAA runner at NAIA National Championships

For only the second time in program history, the Bruins sent a member of the women's cross country team to the NAIA National Cross Country Championships held Friday on the grounds of Fort Vancouver National Historic site in Vancouver, Wash. Rain over the previous 24 hours created slick and muddy conditions on race day but fortunately, the rain stopped by race time and the event was run under cloudy skies with temperatures around 50 degrees.

Freshman Madison Nelson, this season's NSAA individual champion, got her first taste of championship competition in a deep field of 338 runners. After a slow start behind the massive crowd, she moved up steadily through the field crossing the line in 134th place in a time of 19:51.4. She was the first finisher among North Star Athletic Association athletes.

Milligan University of Tennessee swept both the men's and women's titles. Milligan's Alysssa Bearzi brought home the women's individual title running 18:14.

Head Coach Craig Christians: "I think this race was a real eye-opener for Madison. It is unlike anything we experience during the season and I think she learned some things that she will use in the future. That's a really great finish to beat two-thirds of the field in a race of this magnitude. I think we've seen a different Madison over the past couple of races and I was proud of her effort today. Our goal, of course, is to qualify the entire team and I think we made progress in that direction this year."

The Bruin distance team will take a short break before beginning the indoor track season in January.