HADLEY, Mass. -- Bates junior Jillian Richardson was named NESCAC Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week for the second time in the young season, the New England Small College Athletic Conference announced Monday, after Richardson's first-place finish in the Maine State Meet on Saturday.

Richardson (Auburn, Maine) took first place individually and was followed to the finish line by a host of teammates as the No. 10 nationally ranked Bobcats rolled to their fifth straight Maine State Meet title. The Bobcats became the first Division III team to win five straight state titles since the women's meet began in 1978.

Richardson covered the 5-kilometer course in 18:39, first out of 120 runners, to become Bates' first individual state champion since Katherine Cook in 2017 and win All-State honors for the second time in her two career opportunities. She was joined on the All-State team, comprising the top seven individuals, by senior Tara Ellard (Brewster, Mass.) in fourth place (19:01), junior Jordan Wilson (Medfield, Mass.) in sixth (19:10.8) and first-year Olivia Reynolds (Cumberland, Maine) in seventh (19:14.1). 

Richardson was also named NESCAC Runner of the Week on Sept. 13.