Northwest Missouri State Athletics

Kearns is a two-time All-America cross country performer who in 1996 became the first Bearcat to win the MIAA conference championship. A superb distance runner, Kearns is a six-time conference champion in track and field and helped lead the Bearcats to the 1997-98 triple crown of racing (winning cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field titles).

Kearns is also an Academic All-American and was named the 1998 State of Missouri NCAA Woman of the Year. She was a finalist for the national Woman of the Year award, the second MIAA athlete to ever obtain that honor. The third finalist for that award was announced this past fall.