KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The halfway mark of the 2026 NAIA Women’s Cross Country schedule is drawing near, as we have seen some shuffling at the top of the latest ratings and a few outstanding individual performances.
The Taylor Trojans women’s cross-country program earned the 2025 NAIA Championship last season in Tallahassee, Fla., and is looking to build on the momentum from that performance last season to put them in the conversation for a repeat under new head coach Mark Fairley.
Fairley inherits a program that has been ranked in the Top 25 for 95 weeks, which is the second-longest active streak in the NAIA. The Trojans have also won 13 consecutive Crossroads League titles and claimed a Red Banner in 2020 before last year’s national title. Fairley will also welcome back junior Jaynie Halterman, who has won the NAIA individual title the past two seasons.
Fairley joins Taylor after being an assistant coach at Liberty for eight years. In his eight years with the Flames, Liberty claimed four league championships in five appearances. So, he knows the formula for keeping the Trojans at the top of both the Crossroads and the NAIA.
Fairley knows that last year’s team was outstanding, but he knows that there is work to do to keep Taylor at the NAIA national scene.
“The team that won the national championship last year is incredible,” stated Fairley. “This year, we have been focused on being the best that we can be, and it is exciting to look back at where our team has been and work hard to see what we can do this season.”
Recruiting is always at the top of the yearly to-do list for a head coach, and Fairley knows that the program’s success will help recruit student-athletes to Taylor.
“A lot is going on at Taylor University,” stated Fairley. “It has been great to see what God is doing here in Upland, Ind. We believe we have the opportunity to provide student-athletes with an incredible experience in the classroom and on the cross country course. Taylor has always drawn athletes who want to first grow in their relationship with the Lord and, second, athletes who love to run and compete! God will keep bringing the right athletes to Taylor.”
Taylor returns a veteran group led by Halterman, who set the NAIA Championship record last year with a time of 20:13.2. Samantha Patterson returns for her senior year after finishing 14th in the national meet. The Trojans also have two sets of sisters in the group: Ansley and Kennedy Applegate, and identical twins Jackie and Jessie McCoy.
Fairley is aware of the impact Halterman has on this year’s team and that her success has pushed her teammates to be better every day.
“Jaynie is an incredible human being and leader in our program,” said Fairley. “She works extremely hard in every area of her life. I am excited to see how she continues to grow as an athlete and person throughout these next two years.”
The Trojans are currently No. 11 in the latest NAIA ratings and have opened the season at a pair of high-level meets at Indiana Wesleyan and Gans Creek. Fairley knows these early-season meets will be a great gauge for the remainder of the fall.
“We are excited to build throughout the season,” stated Fairley. “The first two races allowed us to see some other great NAIA programs. We are focused on being the best program that we can be and controlling what we can control.”
Keep up with Taylor women’s cross country throughout the remainder of the season, HERE
Let’s take a look at the new Top 5 of the ratings.
The Buffs ascended to the top of the ratings after a solid start to the season, which included a second-place finish at the Brevard Invitational and a solid finish at the Southern Showcase. Joanna Halterman led the way in the Southern Showcase with a 62nd-place finish in a time of 18:04.7, which is a personal best. McKenna Spaulding paced Milligan at the Brevard meet with a time of 21:29.7, which was good for seventh place on the 5k course.
The Defenders moved into the second spot in the ratings after finishing third in the Augustana Invitational. Joy Koole paced Dordt with an eighth-place finish in a time of 21:08.0, which is 12 seconds better than her previous best time on the 6k course. Bailey VanderGriend was the second Defender runner to finish the meet with a mark of 21:13, which was good for 11th place overall.
The Yotes moved up a spot to third in the ratings after a second-place finish at the Northwest Nazarene Invitational. Kylee Quinton took home the individual title on the 6k course with a season-best time of 22:04.4, while Talia Bonville came in fourth with a mark of 22:23.2, which is a personal best for the freshman.
The Wildcats jumped up five spots in the ratings to fourth after an outstanding start to the season. Indiana Wesleyan won the Twilight Invitational and then placed fifth at the Gans Creek Classic. Ashlyn Bainbridge paced the Wildcats with a 23rd-place finish in a time of 22:14.2 over the 6k course, with Katie Morrison earning 35th place with a mark of 22:31.7
The Golden Eagles stayed in fifth position in the latest rating after placing third in the Gans Creek Classic. Jacie Krampe led the Cornerstone efforts with a 16th-place finish in a time of 22:02.0, while Adelin Patterson finished right behind her teammate in 17th place with a mark of 22:04.0.
Next ratings coming September 23
Next runner of the week coming on October 8
About the NAIA
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small college athletics programs dedicated to character-driven, education-based athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has balanced high-level competition with holistic student-athlete development through its commitment to The Right Way to Play®. Each year more than 87,000 NAIA student-athletes compete in college athletics, earn over $1.3 billion in financial aid, and pursue opportunities to participate in 30 national championships. naia.org | @NAIA | #TheRightWayToPlay
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