ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The University of the Cumberlands women's track & field team closed out the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships as the national runner-up, marking the highest outdoor finish in program history. The Patriots finished the meet with 11 All-America honors, one national champion, and three national runner-up finishes.
 
The Patriots opened the day in the 4x100-meter relay, as Lillian Guzman, Ritorion Vigne, Abia Kante, and MaQuoia Raglin combined to place third nationally in 45.54 to earn All-American honors.
 
Abia Kante led the way on the final day with another All-America performance in the 200 meters, placing fifth nationally in 24.20 to score four points for the Patriots. Kante also earned All-America honors in the long jump and as part of the 4x100-meter relay during the meet, giving her three All-America honors at this year's national championships.
 
In the 5000 meters, Alina Boshchuk earned a national runner-up finish in 17:16.20 to score eight points for Cumberlands. Patrober Jepchirchir also earned All-America honors with a sixth-place finish in 17:25.10. The duo came away with two All-American medals each on the week.
 
Boshchuk added to an already historic career by earning her ninth career Track & Field All-America honor, tying Kante for the most in T&F program history. Boshchuk earned two All-America honors during this year's outdoor championships after also placing runner-up in the 10,000 meters earlier in the week. She finishes her time at UC with 11 total, counting cross country, the most of any athlete that has come through the women's program.
 
Earlier in the meet, Heather Durrant captured the national championship in the 5,000-meter racewalk to become just the second individual outdoor national champion in program history.
 
The runner-up team finish caps off an unforgettable season for the Patriots, who turned in their highest-ever finish at the NAIA Outdoor Championships. British Columbia won the team title with 101.5 points while UC finished with 52. Dickinson State earned 40 points for third while IU Kokomo scored 30 points to round out the podium finishers.
 
 
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