NEW ORLEANS, La. - Two weeks ago, the Bradley women's cross country team leap-frogged Illinois State in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Midwest Regional poll to No. 11, their highest ranking of the season. The Redbirds returned the favor Monday, swapping places with the Braves in this week's top-15.

Led by all-conference performers Nicole Benson (Peoria, Ill./Limestone H.S.) and Mary Goldkamp (Florissant, Mo./McCluer North H.S.), the Braves finished third at the Missouri Valley Conference Championship Saturday. Benson paced Bradley with a second-place finish in 18:40, just eight seconds behind Terry Phillips from Missouri State. A late surge allowed Goldkamp to pass Wichita State's Leah Thompson for fifth place in 18:57. Behind Benson and Goldkamp, the Braves earned their best conference finish since 2002.

MVC champion Wichita State remains the conference's top-ranked women's team at No. 8, followed by Illinois State at No. 11 and Bradley at No. 12. The Redbirds edged the Braves by seven points in Saturday's conference championship. Missouri State also dropped one spot to No. 14, while Southern Illinois rounded out this week's top-15.

The Braves will travel to Springfield, Mo., to compete in the NCAA Midwest Regional Saturday, Nov. 14. Missouri State will host the event, which features 33 Division I teams from nine different states.

To see video highlights from Saturday's MVC Cross Country Championship, click on the links above.