Spanish runner Ragna Debats was the third woman finisher and tenth overall in the race, with a time of 17:41:13, four minutes behind the Kiwi runner.
This was the first time in Western States 100 history that three women finished in the overall top 10.
It was also Croft's first time racing a 100-mile race, a whole 60km longer than anything she'd raced before.
Croft is no stranger to podium finishes, having won two 56km OCC races (part of the UTMB in Chamonix, France) and two Mont Blanc Marathons.
Earlier this year, she won the 100km race at the Tarawera Ultramarathon in Rotorua and is also a previous winner of the 85km Old Ghost Ultra near her hometown on the West Coast.
The Kiwi, who got into trail running while living in Taiwan and is now a professional runner, also came second at the World Trail Championship in 2019 and won the 2018 Golden Trail Series run.
The Western States Endurance Run is the oldest - and arguably the most prestigious - 100-mile foot race in the world.
Croft travelled to the US last month to get acclimatised ahead of race day.
Kiwis might not fly but they sure can run.
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