Halterman's Record-Breaking Run Leads Taylor (Ind.) to Second Women's Cross Country Red Banner in School History
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - For the second consecutive year, Jaynie Halterman set a new championship record to aid Taylor (Ind.) in claiming the 2025 NAIA Women’s Cross Country Championship that was held at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Fla., on Friday Morning.
This year’s championship featured 36 teams and 331 runners from around the country, with all of the teams and individuals qualifying for the national meet either through their conference championship or by earning an at-large berth.
The Trojans scored 90 points to earn their second Red Banner in program history. The first time Taylor won the title was in 2022, when the meet was held at this year’s site.
Milligan (Tenn.) earned runners-up spot on the podium 109 points, while Dordt (Iowa) claimed the third position with 136 points. The Master’s (Calif.) rounded out the top four in the team chase with 232 points.
Halterman led the race from wire-to-wire in breaking the meet record with a time of 20:13.2, which was nine seconds better than the record she set last year at Gan’s Creek in Columbia, Mo. Ellen-Mary Kearney of Milligan was the second-place finisher in the race with a time of 20:43.6, while Heather Murphy of Montreat (N.C.) rounded out the top three runners with a mark of 20:46.1
Taylor placed four runners in the top 20, with Samantha Patterson placing 14th, Catey Campbell finishing 17th, and Noel Bass grabbing 20th place to lead the charge for the Trojans. All four runners earned NAIA All-American Honors for their efforts.
Quinn White of Taylor was named the 2025 NAIA Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year after leading the Trojans to the Red Banner this season.
The top 40 individual finishers in the race earned NAIA All-America awards.
