Women's Cross Country 07.17.26

Pizzo, Mullins, Hill Tabbed MVP For Cross Country, Track & Field

Women's Cross Country 07.17.26

Pizzo, Mullins, Hill Tabbed MVP For Cross Country, Track & Field

From L-R: Nina Pizzo, Lyla Mullins, Nadia Hill

DETROIT (7/16/2026) -- Graduate senior Nina Pizzo was selected MVP for cross country, and sophomore Lyla Mullins and freshman Nadia Hill shared the honors in track and field as the University of Detroit Mercy announced its postseason awards for cross country and track and field.

For the second-straight season, Pizzo claimed the Kevin Donner Most Valuable. She led the team in all six events, with two top-10 efforts, four in the top 20, and five in the top 25, including a 6k career-best 21:38 for 14th overall at the Horizon League Championships, earning Second Team honors and fifth in the Titan record book.

Mullins was honored as the sole MVP in indoors and shared the honors in outdoors with Hill. Mullins won the shot put at the Horizon League Championships with a mark of 14.80 meters, extending her school record, which she broke earlier in the season. She then defended her title at the outdoor championships, extending her school record to 15.42m, becoming just the second Titan in school history to win the shot put during indoors and outdoors in the same year.

Hill won the high jump four times in the outdoor season, including at the outdoor league meet, taking the title with a leap of 1.72m.

Cross Country

Kevin Donner Most Valuable - Nina Pizzo
Student-Athlete - Claire Hunt & Helana Napiorkowski
Coach's Award - Alaina Burns
Most Improved - Alaa Selman
Rookie - Addie Stanley

Varsity Letters

5 - Nina Pizzo
4 - n/a
3 - Alaina Burns, Abby Fifield, Helana Napiorkowski, Ayva Schmalz
2 - Sofia Figueroa, Claire Hunt, Kirsten Koss, Ana Lopez, Aubrey Mery
1 - Alaa Selman, Addie Stanley

Indoor Track & Field

Most Valuable - Lyla Mullins
Student-Athlete - Ana Lopez
Coach's Award - Jada Clark
Most Improved - Haley Lipscomb
Rookie - Nadia Hill & Abigail Mullings

Outdoor Track & Field

Most Valuable - Lyla Mullins & Nadia Hill
Student-Athlete - Abby Winkle & Audrey Williams
Coach's Award - Nina Pizzo & Claire Hunt
Most Improved - Kirsten Koss & Aubrey Mery
Rookie - Abigail Mullings & Imani Sharp

Track & Field Varsity Letters

5 - Nina Pizzo
4 - Jada Clark, Zoe Morris
3 - Alaina Burns, Kaliyah Favors, Abby Fifield, Gabriela Gashaj, Claire Hunt, Helana Napiorkowski, Ayva Schmalz, Grace Steffes, Brigita Sumskas, Kayla Wize
2 - Zainab Ali, Jariatu Bangurah, Sofia Figueroa, Kirsten Koss, Meghan Koss, Haley Lipscomb, Ana Lopez, Aubrey Mery, Lyla Mullins, Taylor Myers, Abbey Ressler, Olivia Velazquez, Audrey Williams, Julia Young
1 - Ayla Bowers, Nadia Hill, Madison Montgomery, Abigail Mullings, Kynnedi Patterson, Jariana Rivas, Mia Seaton, Alaa Selman, Imani Sharp, Addie Stanley, Bella Thibodeau, Kendal Waligorski, Abby Winkle

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Players Mentioned

Zainab Ali: Hurdles; Sophomore

Jariatu Bangurah: Jumps; Sophomore

Alaina Burns: Distance; Junior

Jada Clark: Jumps/Sprints; Senior

Kaliyah Favors: Sprints; Senior

Abby Fifield: Distance; Junior

Sofia Figueroa: Mid-Distance; Sophomore

Gabriela Gashaj: Sprints/Hurdles; Junior

Claire Hunt: Distance; Senior

Kirsten Koss: Mid-Distance; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Zainab Ali
: Sophomore
: Hurdles

Jariatu Bangurah
: Sophomore
: Jumps

Alaina Burns
: Junior
: Distance

Jada Clark
: Senior
: Jumps/Sprints

Kaliyah Favors
: Senior
: Sprints

Abby Fifield
: Junior
: Distance

Sofia Figueroa
: Sophomore
: Mid-Distance

Gabriela Gashaj
: Junior
: Sprints/Hurdles

Claire Hunt
: Senior
: Distance

Kirsten Koss
: Sophomore
: Mid-Distance

University of Detroit Mercy Athletics

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned