TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | Laura Avila claimed the individual crown and Alabama A&M University placed three runners among the top five to capture the program's first Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Women's Cross Country Championship on Tuesday at Apalachee Regional Park.
 
The Bulldogs totaled 37 points to edge Florida A&M by four points for the historic team title. Texas Southern finished third with 93 points, followed by Alabama State (120) and Jackson State (131).
 
Alabama A&M head coach Andrew Murphy earned SWAC Coach of the Year honors, while Avila was named the SWAC Athlete of the Year. Avila joined teammates Sanyae Gibson and Minka Isom as first-team All-SWAC selections.
 
"This championship reflects the work our student-athletes have put in throughout the season," Murphy said. "We knew every position would matter, and our runners competed for each other from start to finish. Having three runners in the top five gave us a strong foundation, and Iyndia and Mariana delivered the finishes we needed to secure the championship."

Avila led the 77-runner field over the 5-kilometer course, crossing the finish line in 18 minutes, 16.4 seconds. The senior finished 11.5 seconds ahead of Florida A&M's Rose Muturi, who placed second in 18:27.9.
 
"Winning the individual title is special, but sharing a team championship with my teammates means even more," Avila said. "We have worked toward this together, and I wanted to do my part for the team. Seeing everyone's effort come together today is something I will always remember."
 
Seniors Gibson and Isom provided a strong supporting finish for Alabama A&M, placing fourth and fifth, respectively. Gibson clocked 18:36.0, while Isom followed in 18:37.2 to give the Bulldogs three of the first five finishers.
 
Freshman Iyndia Bey placed 11th in 19:04.4, and senior Mariana Betancourt-Dennard completed Alabama A&M's scoring group with a 16th-place finish in 19:15.7. The Bulldogs' five scoring runners finished within 59.3 seconds of one another.
 
Sophomore Kayla Fluker finished 36th in 21:23.7, followed by fellow sophomore Kennedy Hill in 41st at 21:47.7. Freshman Leila Sollas rounded out Alabama A&M's contingent, placing 52nd in 23:02.1.
 
 

2026 SWAC Women's Cross Country Championship Team Results
Team	Points
1. Alabama A&M	37
2. Florida A&M	41
3. Texas Southern	93
4. Alabama State	120
5. Jackson State	131
6. Arkansas-Pine Bluff	153
7. Bethune-Cookman	155
8. Prairie View A&M	228
9. Southern	243
10. Alcorn State	262
11. Grambling State	272
12. Mississippi Valley State	314

 
 
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