GLENDALE, Ariz. — For the sixth year in a row, The Master’s stood atop the podium at the GSAC Women’s Cross Country Championship, capturing the 2025 title on Saturday morning at Sahuaro Ranch Park. The Mustangs narrowly held off Embry-Riddle in one of the closest team races in conference history, edging the Eagles by a single point, 34–35, to extend their championship streak to six straight seasons.
It was a fitting finish for a veteran Mustang squad that relied on experience and pack running to overcome a blazing individual performance by Embry-Riddle sophomore Sophia Noriega, who claimed the individual title in 21 minutes, 39 seconds. Noriega’s strong kick over the final kilometer gave her a 25-second margin of victory and helped the Eagles briefly move ahead in the team standings before The Master’s steady depth carried the day.
The Mustangs’ senior core delivered when it mattered most. Suzie Johnson led the charge with a runner-up finish in 22:04, followed closely by Alyssa Lovett in third at 22:10. Emma Nelson (6th, 22:32), Erini Shaker (11th, 22:47), and freshman Saige Miller (12th, 22:48) rounded out the scoring. Their five-runner average of 22:28 and a tight 43-second spread proved decisive, giving TMU a total team time of 1:52:22—just enough to edge Embry-Riddle’s faster 1:52:08 total but wider 1:12 gap.
Embry-Riddle’s lineup turned in an impressive performance that nearly snapped The Master’s streak. Behind Noriega, Mia Kemp finished fourth in 22:17, Taryn Janssen seventh in 22:33, Heidi Donovan tenth in 22:46, and Makenna Bray thirteenth in 22:51. The Eagles’ mix of youth and experience posted an average of 22:25 per runner, but the Mustangs’ senior experience and late-race composure proved to be the difference.
Arizona Christian secured third place with 62 points, led by freshman Ezra Haller, who finished fifth overall in 22:23 as the top rookie in the field. Junior Alison Unruh (8th, 22:38) and senior Kaesha Guillaume (9th, 22:44) also placed inside the top ten, giving the Firestorm three All-GSAC performers and another strong showing on the conference stage.
The All-GSAC Team recognized the top 11 finishers, highlighted by Noriega, Johnson, Lovett, and Haller, along with a combined eight runners from The Master’s and Embry-Riddle.
Soka, Hope International, OUAZ, Park Gilbert, and La Sierra completed the team standings. The victory marked yet another chapter in The Master’s ongoing GSAC dynasty, their sixth consecutive conference crown, as the Mustangs and Eagles now turn their attention to the NAIA National Championships later this month.