Dadikhi ’26 Charges to All-American Finish at NCAA Championships
Emerson College’s Yasmin Defne Dadikhi ’26 became the first Emersonian in the history of the College’s cross country program to earn an All-American honor after finishing in the top 40 at the 2025 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships.
Dadikhi charged through the field, finishing 33rd out of 290 runners, capping her collegiate cross country career at the championships hosted by Converse University in Spartanburg, South Carolina on November 22.
Any runner finishing in the top 40 at the meet earned All-American status. With her finish, Dadikhi became the 10th All-American athlete in Emerson College history.
Dadikhi reflected about earning All-American status. “Being an All American to me is a sign that I can do hard things and find joy in the discomfort,” she said.
About the race itself, Dadikhi remembered her training, and running with her teammates.
“There were parts in the race and in the process of training where I felt joy and there were times where I felt frustration but being present and reminding myself that joy and discomfort are intertwined kept me going,” said Dadikhi. “My team’s support means so much to me and I wouldn’t be All American without them showing up every day and pushing me to be a better athlete day in and out. I am truly inspired by every single one of them.”
Dadikhi’s patience early on in Saturday’s race paid off as she advanced from 163rd place after the first 1,000-meters, completing the six-kilometer championship in 21:52.1.
“Words aren’t adequate for the emotions we have right now,” said Emerson head coach Brandon Fox ’12. “[The coaching staff and College] is so immensely proud of her. She has earned every bit of this. Not only is she a phenomenal athlete, but a great person and teammate as well. I hope she takes time to enjoy this special moment for not only her, but for the program as well.”
A Theatre and Performance major from Istanbul, Dadikhi is the first runner in Emerson history to qualify for the NCAA Championships, doing so for a second straight year, is a three-time USTFCCCA All-East Region and All-NEWMAC performer over the course of her career.
She picked her way through the field after settling in at 163rd place after completing the first kilometer in 3:27.4. Dadikhi clipped over half the field in front of her by the two-kilometer mark, sitting 81st in 7:02.5. She pushed up to 53rd place at the halfway mark of the championship with her time of 10:39.1 and more importantly, within just two seconds of the coveted top 40. She moved into 36th with a steady 1000 meters, clocking in at 14:14.7 after four kilometers, still within two seconds of the top 40. This Lion finished strong, moving into 35th place with one kilometer to go as she clocked in at 18:02.4 after 5K, on her way to the 33rd place finish in the field of 290 entries.
“We knew that a lot of this race today would be about staying patient,” Fox said. “As always, Yasmin executed well and moved up significantly after the 3K. It takes a certain kind of athlete to be able to excel in these types of situations.”
Dadikhi improved on her previous program-best 64th place finish (22:05.5) in her NCAA Championships debut in Terre Haute, Indiana, last season. Her All-America finish comes on the heels of a program-best seventh place finish in a school-record 21:43.3 at the NCAA III East Regional in New Hampshire last weekend and program-high third place (21:48.6) at the NEWMAC Championships two weeks earlier.
“Upon leaving last year’s championship meet, Yasmin immediately set the goal of being an All-American this season,” continued Fox. “Fast forward to [the NCAA III Championships], and she has done it. Yasmin’s dedication, strength, and unmatched inner fierceness propelled her to meet this outstanding goal, and I am excited to see what is around the bend as she sets her post-collegiate goals.”
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