2023 NJCAA DI Women’s Cross Country Championships, presented by the Marines

November 11 | John Hunt Park | Huntsville, AL

Huntsville, AL - The Salt Lake (UT) Bruins claim the 2023 NJCAA Division I Women's Cross Country Championship title, presented by the Marines. This is the first DI Women's title in Salt Lake program history.

The Bruins placed five runners inside the top 20 in overall individual finishers, Emerald Kehr finished second with a mark of 17:35.40, while Carli Nelson finished with a 17:44.50 mark to help round out the top-5.

Salt Lake wrote the Bruins program into the NJCAA Women's Cross Country record book on Saturday, claiming the first national title in the program's history. The highest the Bruins have previously placed was third in 2022 with 95 points.

Out of seven runners and five in the top 20, the Bruins posted an average time of 18:04.26.

Molly Jensen, Grace Tipton, Carli Nelson, and Emerald Kehr Haile were honored as 2023 NJCAA DI Women's Cross Country All-Americans for the Bruins.

Iowa Western's Silvia Gradizzi claimed the 2023 NJCAA Division I Women's Cross Country Championship individual title with a mark of 17:20.90.

New Mexico posted 93 team points and an average time of 18:28.90 to claim second place at the 2023 NJCAA Division I Women's Cross Country Championship.

This is New Mexico's third time finishing in the top 3, and ninth time finishing in the top 10 in program history. The Thunderbirds placed second in both 2022 and 2019.

Jayne Elvin and Damariso Chewon were named to the 2023 NJCAA DI Women's Cross Country All-America team.

Eight NJCAA programs were represented on the All-America team, annually awarded to the top 15 finishers at the national meet. Salt Lake led the way with four runners on the All-America team. Iowa Western had three runners while Southern Idaho and New Mexico each had two.