EVANSVILLE, Ind. - After battling through injuries all season, Trinity Smith was able to work her way back to the NAIA Cross Country National Championships.

Smith clinched a national berth for the second year in a row with a fourth-place time of 23:12.8 at the River States Conference Championships Saturday. Individual national spots go to the top-four runners from non-qualifying teams, so long as they placed in the top-15

With 81 points, Midway secured a fourth-place team finish as well, coming in just one point behind third-place Rio Grande. Saturday was the Eagles' best showing at the RSC Championships since placing second in 2020. 

Behind race winner Cassandra Schrubb (22:11.2), Indiana East won with 47 points, well ahead of second-place Shawnee State (74).

In eighth place at the one-mile mark, Smith made a strong charge down the stretch to get into the fourth position.

She made a similar push at the 2023 RSC Championships, moving from fifth to third in the final stretch to clinch her first national berth.

Now Smith will return to the national race, which will take place in Columbia, Mo. on Nov. 22. Making her feat even more impressive is that Saturday was just her third race of the season, as injuries kept her out of the lineup early in the year.

Elsewhere, Abby Cunningham took ninth with time of 23:59.6, while Ariah Egleston just missed a top-10 finish, placing 11th in 24:20.1.

Cunningham was sixth among runners on non-qualifying teams, while Egleston was eighth. Both were second-team all-conference selections.

Stevie McSorley (23rd, 25:18.3) and Riley Gillis (37th, 26:53.9) were Midway's fourth and fifth scorers, while Abby Baldridge (41st, 27:11.7) and Jasmine Clouse (48th, 28:04.2) also finished.