Demorest, GA - The Berea Mountaineers Women's Cross Country team was crowned the 2023 CCS Cross Country Champions after their first-place finish at the conference meet in Demorest, Georgia.

The women won with a total of 27 points, finishing ahead of Covenant (51), Piedmont (76), Huntingdon (124) and fifth place Agnes Scott (125). All five of the athletes scoring for the women placed in the top-15, with four finishing in the top-5.
 
This marked the program's first CCS Cross Country title and first conference title since 2019. The Mountaineers also took home Championships in 2017 and 2018. 
 
Women's Cross Country claims Berea Athletics' first CCS title of the 2023-2024 calendar year.

The Mountaineers were led by Madison Stonestreet who battled with the leaders for the first third of the race but was able to separate from the pack in the final 4000m, eventually ending in a first-place finish. Stonestreet was crowned the CCS Women's Individual Cross Country Champion for the first time in her career. Her margin of victory was an outstanding 97 seconds, recording a time of 23:12.3

Muhorakeye Joyeuse may have ran the most impressive race of her collegiate career. The freshman from Aiken High School, finished second behind crossing the finish line in 24:49.8. Joyeuse slowly overtook her opponents throughout the race as at the 2000m mark she stood in 7^th, by approximately the 4000m mark she had made her way to 4^th and reached her 2^nd place spot by the final 1000m.

Carah Anteck placed 4^th overall finishing with a time of 25:39.1. Anteck settled into her spot halfway through the race as she and fellow Mountaineer Erin Chambers held possession of the 3^rd and 7^th positions on the leaderboard.
 
Chambers ended the contest in 5th, crossing the finish line as the fourth Mountaineer to score and completing the race in 26:09.7. Jasiella Grandy finished the team scoring. Grandy was able to knock off opposing runners one by one as she made her way from 20^th at the 4000m mark to 15^th at the finish line in 27:47.8.