Bella Meili Represents MNU at XC Nationals

Tallahassee, FL – In a park specifically created for cross country running, Apalachee Regional Park has hosted numerous championships including collegiate regional and national D1 events and will be the host of the World Athletics Cross Country Championships on January 10, 2026. It provides a scenic vista with challenging rolling hills and changing multi-surfaces. For the NAIA National Cross Country Championships, it would mark the second time on this prestigious course.
 
After qualifying through various conference meets, 36 teams and over 80 individuals received the honor to participate in the women's division. Among those racing, was MidAmerica Nazarene University's Bella Meili. Though each individual had her own story, Meili's story included two top 3 finishes in invitationals, top NAIA athlete at the Bob Timmons XC Collegiate Classic, and culminated in All-Conference honors at the Heart of America Conference Championships. The latter helped her earn the right to race on the NAIA National stage.
 
Surrounded by over 300 competitors and a dense fog, Meili got out to a quick start in the 60-degree weather.  She was in the top 20% in the first mile as she headed through the wooded section of the 2-loop course.  The quick start hit her hard between the 3 and 4k mark, but dropping positions was very easy with a tightly bound group.  She gained ground in the 5k, breaking the 19-minute mark for only the second time in her racing career.  The final kilometer was tough on her tired legs with a little hill to battle in the last 400 meters, but Meili did not yield.  In the end she finished in the top 28% overall.  In doing so, she ended up as the fifth Heart of America Conference athlete to cross the finish line, three spots up from her conference finish.
 
Meili, only a sophomore, has been the top Pioneer in the cross country racing circuit for the last two years.  Her marked improvement this year was a testament to her hard work ethic throughout the season.