Milligan's nationally ranked cross-country squads set for first big meet

The season will begin in earnest for Milligan's nationally ranked cross country program when the Buffs compete in a pair of meets on Sept. 18. The Buffs will send runners to the Southern Showcase in Huntsville, Alabama and the Brevard Invitational in North Carolina on Friday, giving plenty of runners the opportunity to compete. The fact that Milligan can send runners to two meets on the same day speaks to the depth Chris Layne - director of cross country and track & field - has at his disposal. "I really like this group a lot," Layne said. "We always adapt, whether in training or racing, to the personnel we have on board, and we'll probably take things a little slower with our schedule this season to ensure we're really clicking by November. "I say it every year, but the NAIA continues to be incredibly competitive at the national level, so we're going to have our work cut out for us." The Southern Showcase is the first headliner event of the season and will be hosted by Jacksonville State University. The event at Brevard will allow more Milligan runners to put their training to the test in competition. The women's team is ranked second in the nation after finishing runner-up at the NAIA national meet last fall and winning its sixth-consecutive Appalachian Athletic Conference title. The Buffs are looking to replace All-Americans Ellen-Mary Kearney - the national runner-up - and Alyssa Bearzi off last year's squad. Fortunately for Layne, the cupboard is far from bare. Annabelle Stewart was a first-team All-American last year and finished ninth in the national meet. Karly Wilhjelm, a product of Science Hill High School, was an All-AAC performer and is primed to be a key cog in Milligan's rotation this season. Kerigan Lewis, who ran for Daniel Boone High School, is another returning all-conference performer who will be relied upon following a strong freshman season. The same goes for Ella Hoover, a member of the All-AAC freshmen team a year ago. Layne and his staff have always done a remarkable job recruiting, particularly since they routinely go head-to-head with NCAA programs. The newcomers this year have a shot to break out early include Kelsey Burleson, Anna Gisler and Rylee McGuire. On the men's side, the Buffs enter the season ranked fourth in the nation fresh off their seventh-straight AAC title in 2025. Josh Hale and Winston Telford have moved on, but seniors Bryson Lewis - a Daniel Boone product - Aaron Gottlied, Marti Molins Rallo and sophomore Rowen Moser-Bryan are back to form an experienced core for this year's team. Science Hill product Evan Holbrook, a sophomore, and senior Luke Kennedy will also be runners to watch after finding success last season. Newcomers who have a chance to make an impact this season include Volunteer High School product Kevin McCurry, Emils Mattias Reinfelds, McCade Frye and Caleb Akins.