BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – For the ninth consecutive season, Lee University was favored in the 2024 Gulf South Conference’s Women’s Cross Country Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league’s head coaches. 

It was a unanimous decision as the Lady Flames received all 11 possible first-place votes and had 121 points overall. Lee will look to win its eighth-straight GSC title since 2017. 

Mississippi College was selected second with 109 points overall and garnered one first-place vote. Alabama Huntsville was projected to finish third with 102 points overall. 

The race for the middle of the pack is expected to be a battle with No. 4 Auburn Montgomery collecting 81 points, while tied for fifth and trailing AUM by two points was West Florida and Union (79 points). Christian Brothers was picked seventh, followed by No. 8 Montevallo, No. 9 Trevecca Nazarene, No. 10 Valdosta State and No. 11 Delta State. West Alabama rounded out the 12-team field.

The 2024 campaign will be the 42nd season of women’s cross country that has been sponsored by Gulf South Conference, and the first season for Trevecca Nazarene as a conference member.  

The GSC women’s cross country season begins on Friday, Sept. 6 with six teams in action. The GSC Women’s Cross Country Championship is slated for October 26 at Freedom Park in Valdosta, Ga. The full 2024 GSC schedule can be found here. 

2024 GSC Women’s Cross Country Coaches Preseason Poll
First-place votes in parenthesis ( )
1. Lee (11) – 121 points
2. Mississippi College (1) – 109 points
3. Alabama Huntsville – 102 points
4. Auburn Montgomery – 81 points
t5. West Florida – 79 points
t5. Union – 79 points
7. Christian Brothers – 57 points
8. Montevallo – 55 points
9. Trevecca Nazarene – 45 points
10. Valdosta State – 34 points
11. Delta State – 16 points
12. West Alabama - 14 points