The Dordt University women's cross country team finished eighth at the NAIA National Championship meet held at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Florida on Friday morning, November 18.

• Results | 

Ranked eighth in the final NAIA Coaches' poll, the Defenders held their ranking and finished eighth for the third consecutive season at the championship. This was the Defenders sixth top 10 finish at the championship, all since the 2012 season.

Other top 10 finishes at the NAIA Championship:

• 2022 - 8th
• 2021 - 8th
• 2020 - 8th
• 2015 - 9th
• 2014 - 5th (best finsh)
• 2013 - 6th
• 2012 - 9th

Dordt totaled 315 points, 64 in back of seventh place Saint Mary (Kan.) and 42 in front of ninth place Southern Oregon. Taylor (Ind.) won the 2022 team championship with an impressive 50 points, way in front of second place Milligan (Tenn.). College of Idaho (201pts), St.Francis (Ill.) (203pts) and Cornerstone (Mich.) (211pts) round out the top five.

The Defenders line-up was led by Jessica Kampman, who claimed All-American honors for the third time in her career with a ninth place finish and a huge personal-best time of 17:34 over the 5,000 meter course. Kampman's previous personal best was 17:53 run at Briar Cliff earlier this season. Kampman's finish was the best of her three appearances at the championship, placing 20th last year and 31st in 2020, and tied for the second best finish by a Dordt women's runner at nationals (Audrey Brooks - 8th in 2017). Kampman is the first, 3x NAIA All-American in the history of the women's program.

• Here the post-race interview from Kampman:

 
Kristine Honomichl was the second Dordt runner to cross the finish line as the senior placed 61st overall with a time of 18:30. This was the best finish for the senior in three trips to the NAIA Championship. Molly Mulder was next to finish for the Defenders as the freshman placed 70th and like Kampman, turned in a personal best time of 18:35, 12 seconds faster than her previous best. Mulder moved up a remarkable 97 spots in the standing after the 1K split.

Lucy Borkowski and Anika Homan were the final two Defender runners to score (the top five) as Borkowski finished 102nd with a time of 18:56 and Homan placed 153rd with a time of 19:21. This was the best finish at the national championship for Borkowski. 

Elyse Kuperus was the sixth Dordt runner and moved up 20 spots after the 1K split and finished 174th overall (19:30). Jessica Opfer (224th - 19:50) improved her placing by 15 spots after the 1K and finished with a time below 20:00 for the fourth time this season.

Lina May (William Carey) was the individual champion, completing the 5K course in 16:50, one of two runners to run sub-17:00. 326 runners and 36 teams made up the field.