Women's Cross Country | 10/29/2026 2:00:00 PM
TRAFFORD, Pa. (pacathletics.org) - Grove City College was voted to the top spot in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Women's Cross Country Pre-Championship poll, which was released Thursday afternoon along with the Runners to Watch list.
The 2026 PAC Championships are set for Saturday, October 31st and will be hosted at Youngstown State University's Brian, Charlotte, Jersey, Beau Gorby Family Championship Cross Country Course at MetroParks Farm in Canfield, Ohio. It's the first time the PAC Cross Country Championships have been held at YSU. The women's 6,000-meter race will begin at 11 a.m., with the men's 8,000-meter race starting at 12 p.m. and an awards ceremony will follow the men's race.
For fans attending the Championships, there will be a $10 entry fee per car. Spectator parking is at Gate 9.
Also for the first time, the PAC Cross Country Championships will be streamed live, as the conference partners with Keystone Global Media to provide a multi-camera stream of the event. Fans can access the link to the live stream above.
A strong regular season propelled Grove City to the top of the pre-championships voting, as the Wolverines secured 11 first-place votes and 126 points. Saint Vincent College came in second with one first-place vote and 112 points and Franciscan University had 99 points and the final first-place vote to rank third. The complete poll results can be found below.
Last year saw the first tie for the team championship in the 42 years of the PAC Women's Cross Country Championships, as Geneva College and Washington & Jefferson College both had three runners earn First Team All-PAC and scored 59 team points to finish as co-champions. It was the first PAC title in the sport for both programs.
Nine runners who earned All-PAC at last year's Championships appear on this season's Runners to Watch list. That includes Saint Vincent junior Grace Neubert, who was the lone runner not from Geneva or W&J in the top seven. Neubert, who placed third at Championships as a freshman when she earned 2024 PAC Newcomer of the Year, moved up one spot in her sophomore championship race by crossing in 22:37.10.
Claiming the last spot on First Team All-PAC last year and the top returner for Geneva is junior Audrey McAlister, who took seventh place overall (24:21.80). For defending co-champion W&J, senior Cali LaRue is their only returning All-PAC runner, as she earned Honorable Mention by placing 21st overall.
Another first at this year's Championships is Saint Francis University competing at the conference meet. The Red Wolves were not counted in the 2026 poll, but are represented by three runners on the Watch List. Saint Francis is not eligible for the PAC team championship while reclassifying from Division I to Division III, but their runners can earn PAC Coaches Honors in lieu of all-conference recognition by finishing in the top 21.
Following PAC Championships, teams will next run at the Division III regional championships, which are scheduled for Saturday, November 14th. Bethany, Chatham, Geneva, Grove City, Saint Vincent, Thiel, W&J, Waynesburg and Westminster will compete in the Mid-Atlantic region, while Allegheny and Franciscan will compete in the Great Lakes region. The Division III Mid-Atlantic Championships will be hosted by Lock Haven University in Lock Haven, Pa., while the Division III Great Lakes Championships will be hosted by the University of Olivet and Lansing Sports Commission in East Lansing, Mich.
The 2026 Division III Championships are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 21st and will be hosted by Carleton College in Northfield, Minn.
| 2026 PAC Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll (Predicted order of finish) |
| School (first-place votes) |
Points |
2025 Conference finishes |
| 1. Grove City College (11) |
126 |
6th (of 10) at PAC Championships, 148 pts. |
| 2. Saint Vincent College (1) |
112 |
4th (of 10) at PAC Championships, 85 pts. |
| 3. Franciscan University (1) |
99 |
3rd (of 10) at PAC Championships, 77 pts. |
| 4t. Allegheny College |
96 |
5th (of 10) at PAC Championships, 141 pts. |
| 4t. Washington & Jefferson College |
96 |
T1st (of 10) at PAC Championships, 59 pts. |
| 6. Geneva College |
94 |
T1st (of 10) at PAC Championships, 59 pts. |
| 7. Waynesburg University |
65 |
7th (of 10) at PAC Championships, 179 pts. |
| 8. Hiram College |
50 |
8th (of 10) at PAC Championships, 195 pts. |
| 9. Westminster College |
42 |
9th (of 10) at PAC Championships, 239 pts. |
| 10. Chatham University |
39 |
10th (of 10) at PAC Championships, 253 pts. |
| 11. Thiel College |
28 |
Individuals only at PAC Championships |
| 12. Bethany College |
12 |
Individuals only at PAC Championships |
| Saint Francis University* |
|
Ineligible for PAC Championship as school reclassifies from Division I |
2026 PAC Women's Cross Country Runners to Watch
1 = 2025 1st Team All-PAC / 2 = 2nd Team All-PAC / HM = Honorable Mention
| Allegheny College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Hometown/High School |
| Madison McGarrah |
So. |
Butler, Pa./Butler |
| Gabriella Palmer |
So. |
Ligonier, Pa./Ligonier Valley |
| Shyann Rulander (2) |
Sr. |
Warren, Pa./Warren |
| Bethany College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Hometown/High School |
| Mary Tracey |
Sr. |
Clarksburg, W.Va./Liberty |
| Chatham University |
| Name |
Yr. |
Hometown/High School |
| Eliana Borne (HM) |
So. |
Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills |
| Isabella Brunetto |
Jr. |
Indiana, Pa./Indiana |
| Virginia Malkin |
Jr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny |
| Franciscan University |
| Name |
Yr. |
Hometown/High School |
| Emily Maag (HM) |
Jr. |
Cleona, Pa./Annville Cleona Secondary |
| Hannah Sheets |
Fr. |
Corning, Ohio/Crooksville |
| Anna Steimle |
So. |
Rome, Ohio/Homeschooled |
| Geneva College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Hometown/High School |
| Sienna Jackson |
Jr. |
North Apollo, Pa./Apollo-Ridge |
| Audrey McAlister (1) |
Jr. |
Ellwood City, Pa./Homeschooled |
| Nicole Ochs |
So. |
Denver, Pa./Cocalico |
| Grove City College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Hometown/High School |
| Rebekah Burger (HM) |
Jr. |
San Diego, Calif./Cambridge |
| Josie Jones |
Fr. |
Grove City, Pa./Grove City |
| Cayla Lawrence |
Sr. |
Mendon, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima Central |
| Hiram College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Hometown/High School |
| Elaine Guyette (HM) |
Sr. |
Mantura, Ohio/Crestwood |
| McKenzie Riley |
Jr. |
Cleveland, Ohio/St. Joseph Academy |
| Taryn Trem |
Jr. |
Willowick, Ohio/Eastlake North |
| Saint Francis University |
| Name |
Yr. |
Hometown/High School |
| Nina Connors |
Jr. |
Adamstown, Md./Tuscarora |
| Jordan Dean |
Sr. |
Spraggs, Pa./Waynesburg Central |
| Rosemary Gaydos |
Jr. |
Irwin, Pa./Norwin |
| Saint Vincent College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Hometown/High School |
| Grace Neubert (1) |
Jr. |
Saint Mary's, Pa./Elk County Catholic |
| Kristen Prince |
Sr. |
Prince Frederick, Md./Calvert |
| Sami Straub |
Sr. |
Saint Mary's, Pa./Elk County Catholic |
| Thiel College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Hometown/High School |
| Arryanna Bardo |
Fr. |
Cherry Creek, N.Y./Pine Valley |
| Washington & Jefferson College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Hometown/High School |
| Emily Frankovich |
So. |
McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry |
| Cali LaRue (HM) |
Sr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa./Montour |
| Genevieve Ruth |
Sr. |
Brecksville, Ohio/Brecksville Broadview Heights |
| Waynesburg University |
| Name |
Yr. |
Hometown/High School |
| Erin Belveal (2) |
So. |
Bay Village, Ohio/Bay |
| Lexi Hepburn |
Jr. |
Etters, Pa./Red Land |
| Taylor Severt |
So. |
Howard, Ohio/East Knox |
| Westminster College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Hometown/High School |
| Kelsi Lott |
Fr. |
Leechburg, Pa./Kiski |
| Callie Reaugh |
So. |
Blairsville, Pa./River Valley |