Season Starts Under the Lights for the Warriors

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Midland University's women's cross country season got underway on Friday night at the Augustana Twilight. The kickoff to the season, which is run under the lights on the campus of Augustana University, saw three Warriors make their opening strides.

Myia Johnson, a senior from Fremont, Nebraska, had the strongest showing for Midland in the field of over 350 runners in the women's 5k race. She placed 126th with a time of 20:20.10. A season ago, Johnson was the long national qualifier for the Warriors for the NAIA National Championship meet.

Joining her on the course up in Sioux Falls were Navaeh Sarabia, a senior from Sweetwater, Texas, and Shyanne Pipkin, a sophomore from Lovelady, Texas. Sarabia finished 203rd with a time of 21:34.62 while Pipkin ran a time of 25:31.20 for 341st.

Several teams from every level of college running in the region took advantage of the unique nighttime race. The University of Nebraska won the team title with four runners in the top ten. Winning the individual title was Berlyn Schutz of UNL with a time of 17:17.18.

Next up for Midland will be the Missouri Southern Stampede. The Warriors will travel to Joplin, Missouri for the race on Friday, September 15 at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course. The course has hosted several National Junior Olympic and Junior National Cross Country Championships as well as 12 NCAA Division II Regional and National Championships.