Franciscan University senior Grace Galligan was the top finisher in the AMCC women's cross country championship race and is the 2018 AMCC Runner of the Year. Galligan capped her impressive career with the Barons with her second individual title at the AMCC championship meet, as she won the 2016 championship race as well. This season, Galligan crossed the finish line at 22:46.6, a full minute ahead of the second-place runner and led the Lady Barons to a team championship, their first since 2014. Galligan set her career-best time in a 6K race earlier this season as she took 34th overall and fifth among DIII runners with a time of 22:39.6 and finished in the top-15 of DIII runners in every race this season.
Franciscan freshman Allison Bryant is the 2018 Newcomer of the Year. Bryant took second overall at the 2018 AMCC championship meet with time of 23:47.9. The rookie set her personal-best in a 6K race at the Inter-Regional Rumble hosted by Oberlin College with a time of 23:07.2 and she took 23rd overall. Bryant has finished in the top-five in two races. She ran a 19:47.7 in her first collegiate 5K race at the National Catholic Invitational and came in 16th among the DIII runners.
Coach of the Year honors goes to Baron head coach Dan Kuebler. Kuebler guided the Barons to the 2018 AMCC women's cross country team title, their sixth overall, and first since 2014.
Click here for the complete women's cross country all-conference team and postseason awards.