The University of British Columbia Athletics

MUSCLE MLK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK



Maria Bernard finished off her university cross country career in style by winning the individual title and leading her UBC Thunderbirds squad to the team banner at the 35th Annual NAIA Women’s Cross Country National Championships in Lawrence, Kan., on Saturday. For her efforts she was named the Association of Independent Institutions Athlete of the Week.

The native of Calgary, Alberta, Canada covered the 5-kilometer Rim Rock Farm course in 17 minutes and three seconds, more than half a minute ahead of her nearest rival, Oklahoma Baptist’s Hannah Fields. The two runners were neck-and-neck until Bernard pulled away at around the 3-kilometer mark to become the first Thunderbird to ever claim the individual title at the NAIA women’s meet.
 
Bernard’s performance sparked UBC to a dominant victory in the team competition as three of her teammates placed in the top 10. All five countable competitors finished in the top 29. UBC accumulated a team score of 43, which was 98 points ahead of second-place Lewis-Clark State (Idaho). The Thunderbirds’ victory also ensured a sixth consecutive NAIA victory by an A.I.I. school. 
 
It was the fourth career top-5 finish and fourth All-American performance for Bernard at the national championship meet, as she placed third last year, fifth in 2012 and fourth as a rookie in 2011.