ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The University of the Cumberlands women's track & field team is set to compete at the 74th Annual NAIA Women's Outdoor Track & Field National Championships next week at Karl Straus Track in Asheville, North Carolina. The Patriots enter the national meet with qualifiers in the sprints, distance events, racewalk, relays, and jumps as they look to compete among the nation's best.
 
Distance events will lead the way for UC as Alina Boshchuk and Patrober Jepchirchir both enter the 10,000 meters ranked among the top-three in the NAIA. Boshchuk enters as the second seed with a season-best 34:36.08 after winning the outdoor national title in the event in 2024. Jepchirchir follows as the third seed with a mark of 34:50.38 in her first outdoor national meet.
 
Boshchuk will also compete in the 5,000 meters, where she enters as the 14th seed with a time of 17:16.51. Boshchuk is already a seven-time All-American in her career and has earned four outdoor All-America honors. Jepchirchir also qualified in the 5K and enters as the 12th seed with a mark of 17:13.87.
 
The 5,000-meter racewalk will be another key event for the Patriots with three national qualifiers. Heather Durrant enters the meet as the second seed with a season-best 24:36.48 and is already a four-time All-American and former national champion in the racewalk after winning the indoor title in 2024. Lilian Bittencourt enters as the eighth seed at 27:54.51 and is a three-time All-American, while Lucy Sullivan enters ninth with a mark of 28:10.52.
 
Cumberlands also qualified the 4x100-meter relay and enters nationals ranked fifth in the NAIA after posting a season-best time of 45.91. The lineup of Ritorion Vigne, Abia Kante, Lillian Guzman, and MaQuoia Raglin produced the qualifying mark earlier this season. The 4x100 relay earned All-America honors last outdoor season with a third-place finish nationally.
 
Abia Kante will represent the Patriots individually in both the 200 meters and long jump. Kante enters the 200 meters as the 12th seed with a time of 23.98 after earning All-America honors in the event during the indoor and outdoor seasons last year. MaQuoia Raglin also qualified in the 200 meters and enters 18th overall with a mark of 24.23.
 
In the field events, Kante also qualified in the long jump and enters the national meet as the 15th seed with a mark of 5.86 meters. Kante earned All-America honors in the event during the indoor season last year after placing runner-up nationally.
 
The 400 meters will feature Lillian Guzman, who enters nationals as the 21st seed with a season-best 56.03. Guzman is also a returning relay All-American after helping the Patriots earn honors in the 4x100 relay last outdoor season.
 
Competition at the NAIA Outdoor National Championships begins Wednesday, May 20 and runs through Friday, May 22 with live results available here, and live video here.
 
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