TU Women's Cross Country Claims Eight National Awards

Crossroads League Release

UPLAND, Ind. – The 2022 National Champion Taylor (133-0) women's cross country team did something that no other team in the nation has done in recent history; that is, compile seven All-American awards at a national championship race.

The NAIA National Championship results archive dates to 2009, and since then only four teams have claimed six All-American awards in a single season. Taylor became the first to claim seven this past Saturday in Tallahassee, Florida.

All-American status is awarded to any individual to finish within the top-40 overall runners at the national championship meet. Taylor posted each of its runners among the top-34 overall finishers in 2022, an unprecedented achievement in the history of the NAIA.

The Crossroads League received a total of 13 All-American honors, more than half of which were awarded to Taylor athletes.

Seniors, Abbey Brennan and Giovanna Domene, along with junior, Ahna VanderWall, each earned their second All-American award in as many years. Brennan led the Trojans with a fourth-place overall finish, while Domene landed in 20th and VanderWall in 10th.

Meanwhile, senior, Brooke Studnicki, and junior, Mollie Gamble, each received the first All-American honor of their careers, while underclassmen Audrey Brinkruff and Noel VanderWall were each awarded the first All-American award of their careers as well.

As a freshman, VanderWall, finished seventh overall, while the sophomore, Brinkruff, landed in 13th and Studnicki and Gamble finished in 33rd and 34th.

In light of Taylor's historic National Championship performance, head coach, Quinn White, was named the 2022 NAIA Women's Cross Country National Coach of the Year. Throughout his 13th season leading the Trojans, White surpassed 1,200 career wins while posting an undefeated season and winning a 10th-consecutive Crossroads League title.

White coached the Trojans toward each of the four fastest team times in program history throughout 2022, while three of his runners also posted the top-three individual 5k times in Taylor history.

En route to the second NAIA National Coach-of-the-Year award of his career, White was also named the Crossroads League and USTFCCCA Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year.

Guided by the leadership of coach White and the remarkable talent of Taylor's seven All-Americans, the Taylor women's cross country team secured just the second national championship in school history, though this national title capped what was surely the most dominant season in the history of Taylor athletics.