Katie Breathitt Earns NCAA Championship Berth

Breathitt becomes first woman in Ole Miss XC history to advance
From the Ole Miss Sports Information Desk
OXFORD, Miss. – Senior Katie Breathitt has been chosen to participate in the upcoming NCAA Cross Country Championships as at at-large qualifier, following a strong performance at the South Regional on Friday.
Breathitt has had one of the best seasons in school history. The Lexington, Ky., native will become the first woman in Ole Miss cross country history to ever advance to the NCAA Championships.
“I am very fortunate and excited for this opportunity to represent my team and Ole Miss,” Breathitt said. “We are disappointed that we don’t get to go to the NCAA Championships as a team, but I’m extremely proud of how hard everyone has worked this year and how far we have come.”
Breathitt placed sixth overall at the regional in Tallahassee, Fla., running the 6K course with a personal-best time of 20:18.6. By finishing in the top 25 runners at the event, Breathitt earned all-regional honors.

She received All-SEC Second Team honors for her performance at the SEC Championships on Oct. 26. She raced to a ninth-place finish and helped lead her team to the best SEC cross country finish in school history (4th).
Breathitt has been a dominant force for the women’s team all season long. Earlier this year, she claimed the Commodore Classic title, which earned her SEC Runner of the Week.
The NCAA Championships will take place at Tom Sawyer State Park, a course Breathitt is familiar with after participating in the Greater Louisville Classic on Sept. 29. She led the Rebels with an impressive eighth-place finish at the meet.
The NCAA Championships will be held on Nov. 17 in Louisville, Ky. The women’s race will begin at noon ET.