WORCESTER Athletic Club ace Alice Wright has guided the University of New Mexico to a historic maiden National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) women’s cross-country title in Kentucky, USA.

The 21-year-old Great Britain athlete finished fifth in the women’s race.

Wright led a quartet of Brits representing New Mexico’s Lobos team in Division One with 2014 European under 23s champion Rhona Auckland finishing 13th.

The Lobos’ leading five runners all finished in the top 23 as they secured All-American honours.

Wright said: "After quite a pushy start, I managed to work my way up the lead group and just tried to stay near the front to cover any moves.

"Midway through the race there was a little break and the race started to break up a bit.

That was when my teammate Courtney and I found each other and worked to the finish together.

"To get fifth individually was so pleasing, but for our team to get gold - that was really the icing on the cake."

Wright has had an excellent year, winning a bronze medal during the summer’s European Under 23 Championships.

The city athlete will return to her family’s Abberley home for Christmas and now hopes to gain selection for the European Cross-country Championships in France.

Wright, in her third year studying at the Albuquerque- based university, finished in 19 minutes 53.15 seconds as the Lobos blew past their rivals to tally just 49 points — the lowest since 1982.

Lobos blitzed the field in Kentucky, finishing comfortably ahead of second-placed Colorado, who totalled 129.

Virginia are the only team to have scored fewer points than the Lobos in the history of the competition — in 1981 (36) and 1982 (48).

But the fields used to be much smaller — there were 28 women’s teams combined in the 1981 and 1982 meets.

There were 31 women’s teams competing in Kentucky.

Leading the Lobos’ assault was Courtney Frerichs, who was fourth, followed by fifth- placed Wright, a former pupil at King’s School, Worcester.

Wright’s other team-mates were Calli Thackery (15th) and Molly Renfer, (24th), who completed the dominance and helped the Lobos’ British coach Joe Franklin to a first national crown.

The University of New Mexico team had been the most dominant team throughout the season with victories at the Notre Dame Invitational (29 points), Wisconsin Adidas Invitational (32) and Moun - tain West Conference Cham - pionship (24).

The Lobos had previously scored 50 points at the NCAA Mountain Regionals, losing by just one to Colorado Buffaloes as they prepared for their successful national finals’ bid.