Marion, Ind. - Led by a strong runner-up race from Katie Woods, the sixth-ranked Marian women's cross country team finished third at the annual IWU Twilight Invite, marking a program-best finish in the meet. Marian earned wins over six teams featured in the first NAIA Top-25 poll of the season, starting their 2025 race season on a high note.

The Knights held a mark of 15-2 on Friday night, scoring a win over No. 7 Grace and receiving votes teams of Shawnee State, Rio Grande, Mount Vernon Nazarene, Saint Francis (Ind.), and Huntington. No. 1 Taylor won the event and scored 35 points in the victory, with each of their top-seven runners placing in the top-16, while No. 11 Indiana Wesleyan finished runner-up with a 92-point total. 

Marian's team total equaled 92, with their top-seven runners earning scoring placements in the top-50, while the group finished 51st or better overall. The Knights scored a 43-point win over No. 7 Grace in their third-place finish.

Coming off her All-American banner year in both cross country and track and field, Katie Woods clocked a 22:04.2 time on Friday night and earned the runner-up spot, finishing behind defending NAIA champion Jaynie Halterman. First-year Knight Claire Milam joined Woods in the top five, with the Xavier transfer placing fifth with a time of 22:13.7. Freshman Kaelina Matthews had a strong collegiate debut, finishing 20th with a time of 23:32.5 in her first meet with Marian.

Emersyn Weaver finished fourth on the team and 32nd overall, hitting a time of 23:54 at the finish line. Summer Rempe finished 40th overall in a time of 24:05.8, and Josie Feldman finished 44th with a time of 24:12.7. Lainey Roth rounded out the team scoring with her 51st-place finish, as she hit the line in a time of 24:18.4. 

Gracynn Hinkley finished 54th overall and two seconds behind her teammate Roth, while Emma Beimfohr finished 59th and Lindsay Huston finished 63rd. Beimfohr and Huston completed the six-kilometer race in under 24:35, while Isabella Murch and Vivienne Siefker crossed the line in under 25:00, placing a respective 72nd and 76th.

Completing the meet for the Knights were: Gracie Fields (100th), Elaina Herman (120th), Emily Baker (121st), Sabrina Siems (130th), Emre Lieland (161st), and Gracie Adams (186th). 

18 teams in total and 203 individual athletes competed in the IWU Twilight Invite.

The Knights will next compete on September 27, traveling to Wisconsin-Parkside, competing in the Rangers' Lucian Rosa Invite. 

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