SPARTANBURG, SC – Johns Hopkins sophomore Carter Brotherton led the Blue Jays to their 11th podium finish since 2012, guiding the team to fourth place with 140 points at the NCAA Cross Country National Championships.
 
Brotherton, the Centennial Conference Runner of the Year, delivered a standout performance to finish ninth overall in 21:20.9. She held a top-20 position throughout the 6K, steadily climbing the field at every split. After opening in 17th through 1K, she surged eight spots over the remainder of the race to secure her top-10 finish as the second-fastest sophomore in the field.
 
Freshman Mia Kotler matched that front-running energy, also never dipping outside the top 20. She opened in 19th and gradually worked her way up to an impressive third place at the 5K mark. Though she lost pace over the final stretch, Kotler still finished 14th overall in 21:27.2, earning All-America honors as the top freshman among the 294 competitors.
 
The Blue Jays' depth sealed the team's podium spot. Storrie Kulynych-Irvin placed 37th in 21:55.1, mounting a major charge after sitting 82nd at 1K. She picked off 21 runners by 2K and continued to climb, gaining 24 more positions over the final 4K. Adriana Catalano crossed in 51st at 22:10.8, rebounding after dropping to 67th mid-race. With the team counting on her, she battled back over the final kilometer, reclaiming 16 spots.
 
Senior Cooper Brotherton closed out the scoring for Hopkins, finishing 63rd in 22:24.1. After slipping early from 67th to 83rd, she rallied over the last 4K, climbing 20 places to secure valuable points for the Blue Jays.
 
With Saturday's performance, Johns Hopkins concludes its 2025 campaign with yet another milestone: the program's 11th national podium finish in the last 13 seasons.