CLINTON, Miss. --- Mississippi College women's cross country kicked off the 2024 season in dominant fashion, winning The Opener at Choctaw Trails on Friday evening. The Lady Choctaws secured a first-place team finish with a score of 43 points, topping ULM (60 points) and Alabama State (69 points) in a highly competitive field.

Leading the way for Mississippi College was Shana Sellers, who claimed the individual title with a time of 19:07.80. Sellers' performance set the tone for the team, with standout contributions from Ava Wardlaw (6th, 19:37.90), Kathryn Finch (8th, 19:38.70), Caroline Dooling (13th, 20:29.40), and Taylor Benoit (15th, 20:33.00) rounding out the top five scorers.

Kinley Harris also had a strong showing, finishing 16th overall with a time of 20:33.40, and Katherine Neal placed 25th at 21:35.20, serving as important depth for the Lady Choctaws.

With several runners finishing within the top 20, Mississippi College will look to build on their strong start when they return to action in two weeks. The Lady Choctaws will compete at the Rhodes College Invitational in Memphis, Tenn., on September 21, aiming to continue their early-season momentum.