TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- With its move to the Mountain East Conference imminent, one of the primary goals for every program inside the Shawnee State Athletics umbrella has been to leave NAIA competition on a high note.

The women's cross country program, without question, can say that it certainly accomplished just that Friday.

Competing in her second consecutive NAIA National Championship appearance in the sport of cross country, Olivia Cisco made a masterful 18-position jump over the final 2,000 meters of Friday's national championship meet, rising from 52nd at the 4,000 meter mark -- the same place that she finished at in 2024 -- all the way up to 34th at the finish to accumulate her first career NAIA All-American honor in her final season of cross country racing at the collegiate level.

Along with Cisco's effort, a top-100 run by Jessica Elick and career-best performances by both Payton McQuirt and Sydney Reed helped the Shawnee State women's cross country program collect a 27th place finish in the 2025 NAIA Women's Cross Country National Championship meet from a team perspective.

Cisco, who closed out one of the greatest Shawnee State women's cross country careers in program history, broke her own program record mark in the 6K for the fourth time in just over a year Friday evening -- running a 21:53.7 to become the first Shawnee State women's cross country runner to ever post a time under 22 minutes in the 6K.

Starting out 60th after the opening 1,200 meters, Cisco proceeded to rip off fantastic splits at every point from beginning to end while rocketing up the field -- posting times of 3:38.3, 3:13.9, 3:44.1, 3:42.9 and 3:30.6 to move up 26 positions from the beginning of Friday's race to the end of it.

In the last 2K, Cisco advanced 18 spots in the rundown, moving up from 52nd in the order to 34th to finish as the fastest River States Conference runner in the championship meet finishing order for the second season in a row while claiming her first-ever NAIA All-American nod in the process.

"Just a great day by Olivia," Shawnee State Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Conner Flynn said. "She continues to show up, the same story as the last two years. I can't say enough about the diligence and effort that she puts into her running. This has been a moment we've been waiting for, with her being so close multiple times, and just as great as expected. I'm very proud of her."

Rising up the leaderboard herself, Shawnee State junior harrier Jessica Elick more than held her own serve in the field of 331 athletes, finishing 99th to finish well inside the top-third of the field. Elick, who started the race in 174th place, gained 75 positions from where she started to where she finished, and finished just four seconds back of her personal best by running under 23 minutes for the second straight meet in a row to conclude her junior season, posting a 22:53.3.

Payton McQuirt, who competed in her very first NAIA National Championship appearance like Elick and much of the remaining group outside of Cisco -- but doing so as a true freshman -- was highly impressive, running a 23:35.6 to finish in 177th place. Her time was nearly 12 seconds faster than her previous personal best.

Continuing her consistency as a key figure among the team's top-four runners, Beth Middleton posted a 23:57 to place 209th, while senior harrier Sydney Reed came up large with a massive personal best, running a personal best of over 19 seconds with her 25:09.2, which allowed the senior to place 277th in the field.

Juniper Allen (288th, 25:22.9) and Kirsten Evans (299th, 26:12.2) rounded out the finishers in an impressive showing for the Shawnee State women's cross country program from top to bottom.

"The women's group had great efforts across the board," Flynn said. "Payton McQuirt ending her season and Sydney Reed finishing her career with PBs is great. I am thankful for the standard that these juniors and seniors set years ago. The future is bright for this group. I am proud of every athlete we had out there today. I'm so thankful that I have the ability to work with these athletes every day. I truly wouldn't want it any other way."

For more information on the Shawnee State women's cross country program, follow the Bears on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/shawnee_state_xctf/.