Greenville, SC – The NCCAA is pleased to announce Keena Goze of College of the Ozarks (CofO) as the 2026 Dr. Ray Bullock Award Recipient for Division I Women’s Cross Country.
 
A senior from Rogers, Arkansas, Goze has been the team leader for the Bobcats’ women’s cross country squad, as her time of 18:22 in the 5K at the Chile Pepper Festival this season ranks third in all of NCCAA Division I Women’s Cross Country. Goze was also the 2025 NCCAA Division I Women’s Cross Country National Champion, winning the race by over 18 seconds in the 5K. She is also a three-time NAIA National Qualifier, and helped guide CofO to back-to-back St. Louis Fall Classic championships in 2024 and 2025, winning the event as individual champion in 2025.

Away from the course, Goze holds a 3.8 GPA while majoring in allied health science and is an NCCAA and NAIA Scholar-Athlete and four-time Dean’s List Recipient at College of the Ozarks. Goze also works 40 hours per week through the CofO work education program and has worked in the college’s summer work program since her freshman year.

Goze has also used her artistic talents to glorify God, creating art pieces that reflect hope, beauty, and faith through her Instagram account to over 27,000 followers.

College of the Ozarks Cross Country Head Coach Clint Woods says, “Keena's leadership is marked by quiet strength, discipline, and compassion. She leads not by commanding attention but by living out her faith with consistency and joy. Her dedication to running and to serving others has earned her the respect and admiration of her teammates. Keena's influence reaches beyond athletics—through her art, her work ethic, and her presence on campus, she models what it means to live fully for Christ in every area of life.”
 
Other Finalists

Cora Eyler – Mid-America Christian University
Emma Groff – Asbury University

Carolyn Miller – Malone University

Emberlynn Nolt – Houghton University

Natalie Van De Riet – University of Northwestern
 
Award Description
For many years, Dr. Ray Bullock dedicated himself to the development of cross country as a sport in general, but also as a ministry within the NCCAA. The NCCAA Hall of Famer (1999) led his teams to over 10 total NCCAA and NAIA national championships and coached dozens of All-Americans. Bullock has impacted the lives of countless student-athletes and coaches through his mentoring and sacrifice.