Women’s Cross Country Set to Start Season at RSU Distance After Dark

OKLAHOMA CITY – The MACU Women's Cross Country team will open its 2026 season under the lights for the second-straight year as the Evangels will be running in the Distance After Dark hosted by Rogers State University at the Mohawk Sports Complex in Tulsa on Thursday night. The women's race is slated to start at 10 p.m.

SEASON PREVIEW

2025 Result Notables
- Placed seventh in the SAC Championships
Top Returners
- Cora Eyler – SO
  - Top 4k Time – 18:35.4 – MSU Mustang Derby (Sept. 11, 2025)
  - Top 5k Time – 22:40.6 – MSSU Southern Stampede (Sept. 20, 2025)
  - Top 6k Time – 27:26.7 – JBU Golden Eagle Invitational (Oct. 11, 2025)
- Kaylee Campbell – SR
  - Top 4k Time – 18:44.4 – MSU Mustang Derby (Sept. 11, 2025)
  - Top 5k Time – 23:00.4 – RSU Distance After Dark (Sept. 4, 2025)
  - Top 6k Time – 27:31.0 – SAC Championship (Nov. 8, 2025)
Top Newcomers
- Ella Miller – FR – Pauls Valley HS
  - Competed for State Champion (2023) and multiple State Qualifier Pauls Valley HS
  - Top 3.2k Time – 12:49.33
  - Top 5k Time – 21:01.27
- Dawsen Branum – FR – McLoud HS
  - Top 3.2k Time – 13:18.0
  - Top 5k Time – 21:18.4
- Kynna Brannan – FR – Bridge Creek HS
  - Top 3.2k Time – 15:14.7
  - Top 5k Time – 28:10.5
Season Notes
- Mid-America Christian will be looking to continue building to its women's program as it expects to have a strong mix of results from both its upper classmen and freshmen.
- Sophomore Cora Eyler and senior Kaylee Campbell are the team's top two returners from a season ago. During her freshman campaign, Eyler evolved into one of the team's best finishers, setting the sixth-fastest 4k time in program history at the MSU Mustang Derby on Sept. 11 as well as eighth-best 6k time at the JBU Golden Eagle Invitational.
- Campbell was also one of MACU's best distance runners on the season as she posted a personal best 27:31.0 at the SAC Championship to notch the ninth-best 6k time in MACU's record book.
- Head Coach Merritt Suenram is optimistic about his incoming freshman class, headlined by the trio of Ella Miller, Dawsen Branum, and Kynna Brannan.
- Miller helped guide Pauls Valley to the State Championships multiple times, including winning the OSHAA 4A State Championship in 2023 and a runner-up in 2024. She ran a stellar sub 13-minute personal-best 3.2k as well as a tick over 21 minutes for a personal-best 5k.
- Branum also put together a very solid running career at McLoud High School. During her tenure, she ran a personal-best 3.2k time of 13:18.0 and a solid distance pace of 21:18.4 in the 5k.
- Brannan also continues the pipeline of stellar runners from Bridge Creek High School that will make their way to MACU to compete during the 2026 campaign. During her junior season, she was Bridge Creek's third-best finisher at the OSHAA 4A State Championship and fourth-best runner in the 2023 State Championship.