ASHLAND, Ore. – The Northwest Christian University women's cross country team, ranked seventh in the NAIA, claimed a third-place finish today at the Cascade Collegiate Conference championship, their best finish in school history. Seniors Brittany Petersen and Stephanie Hescock earned All-CCC honors as they ran in the top six.

The Beacons scored 69 points, falling behind CCC champion and fourth-ranked College of Idaho by 18 (51). Ninth-ranked Concordia University took second place with a score of 61.

Petersen took fifth-place for NCU (18:34), giving the senior her first-ever All-CCC recognition. Hescock picked up her fourth All-CCC nod (third consecutive for cross country) as she took sixth place (18:35).

Running third for the Beacons was Ashley Kinney, taking 14th place at 19:14. Ally Manley was just behind that in 19th place, running a 19:18.

Rounding out the scoring-five was Emily Svendsen-McLean in 28th place (19:50). Also running for the Beacons were Heidi Gori (31st, 19:55), Sierra Schorer-Noll (32nd, 19:56), Riley Swanson (50th, 20:33), and Allison Duvenez (21:19, 61st).

The Individual championship went to Eastern Oregon's Karlee Coffey for the second straight year.

Without a CCC championship and an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship in their pockets, the Beacons will now wait until Monday to find out where they drop in the rankings, to see if they secure an expected at-large bid to the event, taking place at Fort Vancouver on November 19th. If successful, the Beacons will be the first team from Northwest Christian University to play in an NAIA national championship event.