Milligan's Kearney Earns NAIA Runner of the Week Honors

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Milligan (Tenn.) senior Ellen-Mary Kearney broke a school record with a 5K time of 16:58.3 at the NAIA Appalachian Challenge last week in Knoxville, Tenn., earning the final NAIA Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week nod of the 2025 season.

Kearney won the Appalachian Challenge in a 188-runner field, marking the first time in Milligan Women's Cross Country history that a runner finished a 5K in under 17 minutes. 

In all, the Buffs put four runners in the top 10, led by Kearney, and Milligan won the team event by 47 points. 

Milligan's postseason begins Friday, Nov. 7, at the Appalachian Athletic Conference Championships in Knoxville, Tenn.

This week's award is the final award of the 2025 season. Visit NAIA.org for a full list of Runners of the Week in the 2025 NAIA Cross Country Season.