Lee topped the 2026 preseason women’s cross country preseason poll, as determined by the 11 GSC women’s cross country head coaches. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team.
The Lady Flames are preseason favorite for the ninth consecutive season, after receiving eight first-place votes and 98 points. Mississippi Christian followed in second with three first-place points and 91 points, while UAH was third 84 points.
In addition, the Conference also announced its 2026 GSC Runners to Watch. Students-athletes included range in experience from freshman and first-year transfers to returning All-GSC performers. All names were submitted by each athlete’s head coach.
In 2025, Lee represented the GSC at the NCAA Women’s Cross Country National Championship and was joined by three individual qualifiers–MC’s Lauren Wallace and Taylor Benoit, and Union’s Addi Aguayo. In addition, Mississippi Christian celebrated its first-ever GSC title in program history.
The 2026 season will open on September 4-5. This year’s GSC Women’s Cross Country Championship is set for Friday, Nov. 6 and will be hosted by Trevecca Nazarene at The Hermitage in Nashville. Click
here for the full schedule.
2026 GSC Women’s Cross Country Coaches Preseason Poll
1. Lee (8), 98 points
2. Mississippi Christian (3), 91 points
3. UAH, 84 points
4. Union, 71 points
5. Trevecca Nazarene, 60 points
6. AUM, 58 points
7. Christian Brothers, 44 points
8. Montevallo, 42 points
9. West Alabama, 27 points
10. Valdosta State, 19 points
11. Delta State, 11 points
First-place votes in parentheses
2026 GSC Women’s Cross Country Runners to Watch
Rose Betts, Fr., UAH
Tamsyn Gibbs, Jr., UAH
Chloe Helms, Jr., AUM
Emma McGee, Jr., AUM
Amira Benmerouk, Fr., Christian Brothers
Phoebe Steel, So., Christian Brothers
Linnet Barrock, Jr., Delta State
Caroline McAlpin, So., Delta State
Lindsey Hogue, So., Delta State
Katie Beam, Sr., Lee
Capucine Cureau, So., Lee
Ava Sparks, So., Lee
Kinley Harris, Jr., Mississippi Christian
Audrey Mayatte, So., Mississippi Christian
Catherine Wallace, So., Mississippi Christian
Addi Aguayo, Sr., Union
Emma Madding, Jr., Union
Victoria Markham, Sr., Union
Miriam Dominguez-Tellez, Sr., West Alabama
Rita Walker, Sr., West Alabama