NEW ORLEANS, La. - For the second straight week, the Bradley women's cross country team ranked 12th in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Midwest Regional poll.

Last Saturday, the Braves earned their second team victory of the season at the SIU Edwardsville Border Wars as seven Bradley runners finished in the top-15. Freshman Nicole Benson (Peoria, Ill./Limestone H.S.) paced the field of 39 runners and finished first with a time of 17:30.91. The win was Benson's second this season.

In addition to Benson, freshman Emily Gustafson (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria H.S.), seniors Amanda Switzer (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem H.S.) and Rachel Brubaker (Davis, Ill./Durand H.S.) and junior Leann Murphy (Rochester, Ill./Rochester H.S.) each earned top-10 finishes. Gustafson crossed the finish line in third with a time of 18:20.12, followed by Switzer in sixth (18:41.65), Brubaker in ninth (18:52.50) and Murphy in 10th (19:21.42).

Four other Missouri Valley Conference teams also held their regional rankings from last week, including Wichita State in eighth, Illinois State in 11th and Missouri State in 14th. Southern Illinois rounded out the top-15 again this week.

The Braves will host the sixth annual Bradley Classic Friday, Oct. 16 at Newman Golf Course. This year's women's field features six USTFCCCA regionally ranked teams, including Bradley, Illinois, Illinois State, Iowa State, Southern Illinois and Wisconsin.