Hayley Burns’ running career has come full circle.

Burns — who started high school at Class B Colstrip before transferring to Bozeman High — now runs for Northern Arizona and will return for the Big Sky Cross Country Championships Saturday at Bridger Creek Golf Course.

It wasn’t a linear path for Burns; after talking with schools like Utah and Louisville, she was deemed academically ineligible and took the junior college route to sort out credits. That led her to Coconino Community College in Flagstaff, Arizona, where she won the 2022 NJCAA Division II cross country national championship.

“I used my eligibility that cross country season, but I wasn't sure how competitive I would be,” Burns said. “It was definitely really fun to be able to be competitive and see where I can run.”

After

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