(Sioux City, Iowa) – The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) has released their 2026 Preseason Women’s Cross Country Poll after a vote of the league coaches.
Dordt University, the defending women’s conference champion, is the preseason pick for 2026. The Defenders scored 17 points to claim the 2025 league title last fall, with Carinne Braun repeating as the individual championship in the GPAC. Dordt totaled 121 points and eleven (11) first place votes.
College of Saint Mary was picked second in the preseason poll with 104 points and the final first place vote. Concordia was picked third with 94, while Morningside and Doane rounded out the top-five on the women’s side. Northwestern was 6th.
2026 GPAC Preseason Women’s Cross Country Coaches’ Poll:
Place Team Points First Place Votes
1 DORDT 121 11
2 COLLEGE OF SAINT MARY 104 1
3 CONCORDIA 94
4 MORNINGSIDE 91
5 DOANE 90
6 NORTHWESTERN 72
7 HASTINGS 54
8 WALDORF 50
9 MIDLAND 44
10 MOUNT MARTY 38
11 BRIAR CLIFF 19
12 DAKOTA WESLEYAN 15
