Benedictine Captures Third-Straight Heart Women’s Cross Country Championship

The Benedictine College women's cross country program captured its third-straight Heart of America Athletic Conference Women's Cross Country Championship on Saturday.

The Ravens raced past all 13 team's competing, in the 5K race which was held at DMACC Cross Country Course in Ankeny, Iowa.

Mount Mercy finished in second-place, while MidAmerica Nazarene placed third.

Grand View's Morgan Lawson won the individual championship in the 5K race with her time of 18:30. This marked the second-straight individual Heart championship for Lawson.

The Top 10 finishers earned 2022 Heart First Team All-Conference honors, while finishers 11-15 were named to the Honorable Mention All-Conference team.

Benedictine head coach Je'Kel Smith was selected the 2022 Heart Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year.

Benedictine has earned an automatic bid to the 2022 NAIA Women's Cross Country National Championships, November 18 in Tallahassee, Florida.

For a second team from the Heart to earn a bid into the NAIA National Championship, they would have to finish in the Top 30 of Monday's Final NAIA Men's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 poll. For a look at the Top 25 poll, please click here.

For full results from the Heart Championship, please click here.

2022 Heart Women's Cross Country Championship – Team Finishes

1^st – Benedictine

2^nd – Mount Mercy

3^rd – MidAmerica Nazarene

4^th – Grand View

5^th – Central Methodist

6^th – Baker

7^th – Evangel

8^th – Graceland

9^th – Clarke

10^th – William Penn

11^th – Peru State

12^th – Missouri Valley

13^th - Park

2022 Heart Women's Cross Country First Team All-Conference

1^st – Morgan Lawson – Grand View – 18:30

2^nd – Caroline Cobo – Benedictine – 18:51

3^rd – Deanna Newhouse – Mount Mercy 19:04

4^th – Mary Rolwes – Benedictine – 19:18

5^th – J'Lyn Knutson – Mount Mercy – 19:19.37

6^th – Natasha Ortiz – Benedictine – 19:19.82

7^th – Skylar Adams – Evangel – 19:28

8^th – Isabella Guerra – Benedictine – 19:30

9^th – Catherine Starrs – Benedictine – 19:34

10^th – Brooke Allen – Baker – 19:40

2022 Heart Women's Cross Country Honorable Mention All-Conference

11^th – Julia McLaughlin – Benedictine – 19:46

12^th – Ashlynn Perkins – Graceland - 19:48
13^th – Grace Stewart – Graceland – 19:49

14^th – Emilie Nelson – Benedictine – 19:50

15^th – Abigail Alred – MidAmerica Nazarene – 19:54