(Lewiston, ID) The Warrior women will be a team to watch for years to come with more than half of the lineup from Friday’s national race returning next season. Leading the group will be Damaris Kibiwot after the freshman earned a spot in the top 100 in her first national meet. The LC State Women’s Cross Country team placed 19th overall at the 2024 NAIA Cross Country National Championships.
The Warrior women totaled 530 points to earn the 19th-place finish. The Master’s (Calif.) earned the team title after edging Taylor (Ind.) by one point. Cascade Conference team College of Idaho placed seventh and Southern Oregon was 16th at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course.
“A great day to be a Warrior running at the national championships,” Head Coach Mike Collins said. “We always set our goals high and work hard to achieve, and today I felt like we ran really well. Maybe a little short, but in the end it is part of the process and we are continuously working to get better. Lots of returners next year for both teams, so we are excited about the future as well.”
Kibiwot was the first Warrior across the line in 71st with a personal-best time of 22:26.0. After one season under her belt, the native of Kenya will be one to watch as her career progresses. Junior Grace Tiegs was the second LC State finisher in 108th with a time of 22:51.6.
Camille Ussher ran a career-best for the second straight meet to place 128th (23:00.0) and freshman Lily Bennett was not far behind in 140th (23:06.7). Abigail Shumaker wrapped up her career in 193rd (23:35.8), while first-year Mercy Cherono ran her best race of the season to place 247th (24:11.4). Senior Grace McCormick wrapped up the group with the last race of her career to finish 287th (25:13.1).
