KENOSHA, Wisc. - Fort Hays State distance runner Emily Diercks-McCullough earned All-American status after placing 12th at the 2025 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships Saturday morning (Nov. 22) at the Wayne E. Dannehl National XC Course.
 
The Hoxie, Kan. native completed the six-kilometer course in 20:38.0, more than 70 seconds faster than her time at last year's national championships. McCullough beat 251 runners in the 263-competitor field and was the top finisher out of the 26 individual competitors in the field.
 
The Central Region champion worked her way to the front of the pack from the start, crossing the one kilometer post in seventh place before hovering between 12th and 13th place for the remainder of the race.
 
McCullough is the third individual to earn cross country All-American status under head coach Dr. Jason McCullough, and the first since Regan Hodsden in 2022. Her 12th-place finish is the best result by an individual at the national championships in McCullough's 21 years as head coach, one better than Cory Keehn's 13th place result in 2013.
 
The senior is now a two-time All-American at FHSU after earning second team honors in track and field with a ninth-place finish in last year's 10,000m outdoor national championship.