The Dordt University women's cross country captured its fifth straight Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) championship, winning the 2024 edition this morning at Mahoney State Park in Ashland, Neb.

• GPAC Release | Results 

Ranked eighth in the current NAIA Coaches' poll, the Defenders dominated the 12-team field with its best team score ever recorded at the GPAC Championship, totaling 18 points. This is second lowest score recorded by any team at the GPAC Championship (Concordia 15pts - 2004). (RV) College of Saint Mary was a distant second with 77 points, followed closely by (RV) Doane (88pts), Concordia (100pts) and Morningside (141pts). 

This is the fifth straight and 11th overall GPAC title won by the Defenders, most in the history of the conference.

By winning the team title, Dordt secured its 13th straight bid into the NAIA Cross Country National Championship, which will be held on November 22 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Missouri. College of Saint Mary, with its second place finish, earns the other auto bid from the conference.

"The women ran very well as a team today," said Dordt University Head Coach Nate Wolf. "Putting nine women in the top fifteen is great championship result.  On a damp day that created a slick course, Corinne, Isabella, and Hannah ran as a strong pack to lead the women's team.  Jaci and Jeni Burtis moved very well over the last 3,000m to put five Defenders in the top six individuals to cross the line.  The entire women's team has prepared themselves as good as any team I have coached and that preparation was represented by the ten women that raced today.  I could not be more thankful to coach this group."

The Defenders had four runners finish in the top five, six in the top 10, nine in the top 15 and all 10 place among the top 35 individuals. 

Corinne Braun led the way for the Defenders, winning the GPAC Individual Championship with a 6000m time of 22:43. This was the fourth individual title for Braun this season and the freshman is the seventh different Dordt runner to claim the GPAC individual championship. Braun pulled away from a front pack of three runners over the final 1000m to cross the finish line first.

• Defenders Who Won the GPAC Individual Title:
  • Corinne Braun - 2024
  • Jessica Kampman - 2023
  • Jessica Kampman - 2022
  • Taylor Anema - 2020
  • Olivia Couch - 2019
  • Annechiena Knevelbaard - 2018
  • Michelle Steiger - 2010
  • Jen Kempers - 2008

Isabella Webb, who ran with Braun and Morningside's Courtney Sporrer for most of the race, was the second runner to cross the finish line and earned a runner-up finish. This was the best career finish for Webb, who recorded a 6K time of 22:49. Jaci Burtis and Hannah Thong joined their Defender teammates in the top five, placing fourth and fifth, respectively. Burtis recorded her best ever finish (4th) and a time of 23:27, followed closely by Thong (5th) with a time of 23:30.

Jeni Burtis was the fifth and final Defender runner to count towards the team score, placing sixth overall with a time of 23:32. Courtney Joiner finished in 10th place and completed the 6K course in 23:57. 

Three Dordt runners, Jessica Opfer, Jada Koerner and Olivia Hoogland, finished within five seconds of each other and placed 13th, 14th and 15th, respectively. Molly Mulder completed the Dordt runners, placing 35th (25:27). 

The top 15 individuals claim all-conference honors while Dordt University Head Coach Nate Wolf was named GPAC Coach of the Year as voted upon by the league coaches. The GPAC will officially do a press release on all of the postseason honors next week. 

Defender Notes:

• this was the fifth straight GPAC title, 11th overall, since the conference began in 2000
• the Defenders also won the SDIC conference title 3x (1995, 96, 98)
• Dordt has won eight conference titles under Head Coach Nate Wolf
• the Defenders have finished among the top five in the GPAC 15 straight years (since 2010)
• Dordt has finished first or second in the GPAC every year since 2012
• the Defenders 1-5 split was 49 seconds; 1-7 split was 1:27
• Braun has four wins this season and has finished among the top five in every meet
• Webb has four top five finishes this season and earns all-conference honors for the second time
• Jaci Burtis recorded her best career finish and fourth top 10 this season
• Thong placed in the top 10 for the third time this season
• Jeni Burtis turned in her best career finish and her third top 10
• Joiner has three top 10's this season
• Opfer earns all-conference honors for the second time and recorded her fifth top 25 finish this season
• both Koerner and Hoogland have four top 25 finishes this season