Runners receive highest national ranking ever

November 6, 2006

Junior Danielle Jordan (left - #536) and freshman Bernice Soto (right - # 542) helped freshman Carli Moller paced the Warriors to its first-ever conference title on Saturday, as the women's cross country team finished 3rd and the men finished 7th at the NAIA Region I Championships. (Photo courtesy of Josh Randolph)

OLATHE, Kan. – In the four-year history of Corban's women's cross country program, the Warriors have not received a national ranking within the top 25 until Monday when the NAIA Coaches' poll was released showing the program at No. 16 in the nation.

Following its first-ever Cascade Collegiate Conference title on Saturday and a third place showing at the regional meet, the Warriors jumped from 34th in the nation to 16th in the final poll of the season.

Fourth-year head coach and current Cascade Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year Norm Berney was pleased to hear the news and said, "I feel that the girls deserve the ranking. They have worked hard and it has shown all season."

Freshman Carli Moller (Vancouver, Wash.) and junior Danielle Jordan (Medford, Ore.) have led the team all season and it showed on Saturday, as the duo placed 6th and 7th in the conference and 12th and 13th in the region. The duo, along with freshman Bernice Soto (Cascade, Ore.), were named to the all-conference team that marked the first women runners ever to make the team.

Corban’s cross country team will now have to await word on Tuesday whether or not they qualify as an at-large team for the NAIA National Championship on Saturday, November 18th, in Louisville, Kentucky. The women's race will run at 10:30 a.m. (EST).

To view the complete NAIA women's cross country national ranking, click here