Benedictine Women’s Cross Country Wins Fourth-Straight Heart Championship
The Benedictine College women's cross country program won its fourth-straight Heart Cross Country Championship on Saturday.
The Ravens became the first program since Lindenwood to win four-straight Heart titles, as the Lions on four-straight from 1996-1999.
The event featured a 6K race for the first time took place in Cedar Rapids, Iowa at the Seminole Valley Cross Country Course, hosted by Mount Mercy University.
Benedictine's Natasha Ortiz won the 6K in a time of 21:48 to earn the individual Heart title.
BC impressively finished with the top three runners. As Julia McLaughlin placed second in a time of 22:36 and Mary Rolwes placed third with a time of 22:39.
Host Mount Mercy finished in second place, while Baker placed third. Benedictine head coach Jacob Connealy was selected the 2023 Heart Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year.
Benedictine has now earned an automatic bid to the 44th Annual NAIA Women's Cross Country Championship, November 17 in Vancouver, Washington.
Runners who finished in the Top 10 of each race were named to the Heart First Team All-Conference. Finishers 11-15, earned a spot on the Honorable Mention All-Conference teams.
2023 Heart First Team All-Conference
2023 Heart Honorable Mention All-Conference
