2017 Cross Country Roster
Benner, Kaitlyn
Kaitlyn Benner
- Height:
- 5-6
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Superior, Colo.
- High School:
- Monarch
Bio
2017: Benner capped off her CU career with another great season. She recorded her third consecutive All-America honor as well as all-region and all-conference awards. Benner started the season with a ninth place finish as the Buffs third scorer at the Joe Piane Invitational. In the following race, the NCAA Pre-Nationals, she took 24th overall. Benner helped the Buffs to their third straight team conference title with an eight-place finish, earning second-team All-Pac-12 recognition. CU also won its fifth straight region title as Benner recorded 14th place as CU’s fourth scorer. At the NCAA Championships, Benner was 36th overall, helping CU to a third-place team finish.
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2016: Benner had another great season for the Buffs, earning her second straight All-America honor with a 26th place finish at nationals as Colorado earned a third-place team finish. She played a major role in CU’s success during the campaign, which saw the Buffs win the Pac-12 and NCAA Mountain Region Championships, as well as NCAA Pre-Nationals and the Rocky Mountain Shootout. Benner’s first uniformed race of the season was the RMS, where she placed second behind teammate Erin Clark, finishing with the fifth fastest time in course history (20:02). She went on to place 12th at NCAA Pre-Nationals, again as CU’s second harrier. Benner was fourth overall at Pac-12, recorded all-conference first team honors, and was sixth at regionals to record all-region recognition.
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2015: Benner started the 2015 season early, competing at the USA Junior Cross Country Championships in February. She didn’t just compete, she won the junior title, finishing in 21:48. Benner went on to lead the U.S. at the IAAF World Junior Cross Country Championships in March, placing 27th overall (21:45). Benner ran her first race as a sophomore for the Buffs at NCAA Pre-Nationals in October, recording a 15th place finish as the Buffs second scorer. She led CU in the following two meets, placing second at Pac-12s and regionals, earning All-Pac-12 and all-region honors. Benner finished the season on a strong note, crossing the finish 16th overall at NCAAs. She was the Buffs’ No. 2 runner and helped the team place second.
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2014: Benner earned a spot on the varsity roster after placing ninth overall at the Rocky Mountain Shootout (where she raced unattached). Her first race in the black and gold was NCAA Pre-Nationals; she placed 52nd overall and was CU’s No. 4 runner. Benner moved up to a 29th place finish at Pac-12s a couple of weeks later, scoring as the Buffs fifth runner. She recorded her first individual honor at regionals, placing 13th overall to be named to the All-Mountain Region team. Benner finished the season 81st at NCAAs, helping the Buffs to a seventh place team finish.
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HIGH SCHOOL: Benner was a member of the MHS cross country team that won the state championship in 2011, ‘12 and ‘13. The team went on to compete at Nike Cross Nationals in 2013 and placed fifth overall; Benner was 61st individually. MHS also raced at Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) in 2010, placing 15th. Benner was selected to the NXN Southwest All-Sophomore team in 2011 and the All-Freshman team in 2010. On the track, she was a member of the 4x800-meter relay team that placed second at state in 2012, ’13 and ’14. The relay also set the school record at 9:22. Individually, Benner is the MHS record holder in the 3,200 (10:58). She earned four academic letters as a Coyote and was named to the Academic All-Colorado first team her junior and senior years.
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HIGH SCHOOL BESTS: 1,600-meters: 5:03; 3,200-meters: 10:58; 4x800-relay: 9:11.
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IN THE CLASSROOM: Benner is a chemical and biological engineering major. She has recorded a GPA greater than 3.90 during her time at CU and has been named to the Pac-12 All-Academic First Team three times (2015, ’16 and ‘17). Benner was also named the 2017 Pac-12 Women’s Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
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PERSONAL: Kaitlyn Marilyn Benner was born on September 25, 1996 in Sacramento, Calif. She is the daughter of Pat and Kathy Benner of Superior, Colo. She has one younger sister, Grace. Benner has done volunteer work that includes mission trips to Mississippi, Los Angeles and the Bahamas.
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2016: Benner had another great season for the Buffs, earning her second straight All-America honor with a 26th place finish at nationals as Colorado earned a third-place team finish. She played a major role in CU’s success during the campaign, which saw the Buffs win the Pac-12 and NCAA Mountain Region Championships, as well as NCAA Pre-Nationals and the Rocky Mountain Shootout. Benner’s first uniformed race of the season was the RMS, where she placed second behind teammate Erin Clark, finishing with the fifth fastest time in course history (20:02). She went on to place 12th at NCAA Pre-Nationals, again as CU’s second harrier. Benner was fourth overall at Pac-12, recorded all-conference first team honors, and was sixth at regionals to record all-region recognition.
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2015: Benner started the 2015 season early, competing at the USA Junior Cross Country Championships in February. She didn’t just compete, she won the junior title, finishing in 21:48. Benner went on to lead the U.S. at the IAAF World Junior Cross Country Championships in March, placing 27th overall (21:45). Benner ran her first race as a sophomore for the Buffs at NCAA Pre-Nationals in October, recording a 15th place finish as the Buffs second scorer. She led CU in the following two meets, placing second at Pac-12s and regionals, earning All-Pac-12 and all-region honors. Benner finished the season on a strong note, crossing the finish 16th overall at NCAAs. She was the Buffs’ No. 2 runner and helped the team place second.
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2014: Benner earned a spot on the varsity roster after placing ninth overall at the Rocky Mountain Shootout (where she raced unattached). Her first race in the black and gold was NCAA Pre-Nationals; she placed 52nd overall and was CU’s No. 4 runner. Benner moved up to a 29th place finish at Pac-12s a couple of weeks later, scoring as the Buffs fifth runner. She recorded her first individual honor at regionals, placing 13th overall to be named to the All-Mountain Region team. Benner finished the season 81st at NCAAs, helping the Buffs to a seventh place team finish.
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HIGH SCHOOL: Benner was a member of the MHS cross country team that won the state championship in 2011, ‘12 and ‘13. The team went on to compete at Nike Cross Nationals in 2013 and placed fifth overall; Benner was 61st individually. MHS also raced at Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) in 2010, placing 15th. Benner was selected to the NXN Southwest All-Sophomore team in 2011 and the All-Freshman team in 2010. On the track, she was a member of the 4x800-meter relay team that placed second at state in 2012, ’13 and ’14. The relay also set the school record at 9:22. Individually, Benner is the MHS record holder in the 3,200 (10:58). She earned four academic letters as a Coyote and was named to the Academic All-Colorado first team her junior and senior years.
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HIGH SCHOOL BESTS: 1,600-meters: 5:03; 3,200-meters: 10:58; 4x800-relay: 9:11.
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IN THE CLASSROOM: Benner is a chemical and biological engineering major. She has recorded a GPA greater than 3.90 during her time at CU and has been named to the Pac-12 All-Academic First Team three times (2015, ’16 and ‘17). Benner was also named the 2017 Pac-12 Women’s Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
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PERSONAL: Kaitlyn Marilyn Benner was born on September 25, 1996 in Sacramento, Calif. She is the daughter of Pat and Kathy Benner of Superior, Colo. She has one younger sister, Grace. Benner has done volunteer work that includes mission trips to Mississippi, Los Angeles and the Bahamas.
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