TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - CIU women's cross country recorded another historic day as Lydia Willhite took part in the NAIA Women's Cross Country Championship on Friday. Willhite, just a sophomore, is the youngest CIU runner to ever qualify for the national event and just the second CIU runner to compete at the championship. The meet took place at Apalachee Regional Park, which featured a tree-lined course highlighted by hanging Spanish moss and a landscape indicative of the Florida panhandle. 

Willhite ran a time of 19:51.3 in the 5K race, which puts her right around 40-seconds faster than any previous Ram at the NAIA Championship.

Head Coach Michael Knight spoke on Willhite's performance saying, "It was amazing watching Lydia go out and compete at the national level. She stayed within herself and soaked it all in. I'm very proud of how she ran her race and competed." 

CIU distance will be back in action as they begin the Indoor Track & Field Season in early December.