RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference released its annual preseason coaches poll for women's cross country on Thursday, and in that poll, Arkansas Tech was picked to finish second among the 12-team league at the conference championship race.
OFFICIAL GAC RELEASE
This year's GAC Cross Country Championship will take place on Saturday, October 25 in Monticello, Ark. with Arkansas-Monticello serving as the host.
The Golden Suns received three of the 12 available first-place votes and totaled 110 points. The only program slotted ahead of Tech was 2024 GAC Champion, Ouachita Baptist. The Tigers garnered eight first-place votes and totaled 117 points.
East Central and Oklahoma Baptist were next and tied for third with 95 total points. East Central is stacked just ahead of Oklahoma Baptist as they received the final first-place vote. Harding, Southeastern Oklahoma and Southern Arkansas were slotted 5-7.
Northwestern Oklahoma, Southern Nazarene and Southwestern Oklahoma accounted for the next three spots in the poll, while Henderson State and Arkansas-Monticello rounded out the final spots, respectively.
Tech is slated to bring back all five of their All-GAC performers from a year ago.
Audrey Hill and
Avery Stanley earned first team honors as Hill finished 6
th overall and Stanley, 10
th.
Libby Booth,
Ellie Akins and
Peyton Carson all garnered second team honors. Booth finished 12
th, Akins 14
th and was also the GAC Freshman of the Year while Carson finished 16
th.
The Golden Suns are set to embark on their third season under head coach Gabe Sams on Saturday, September 6 as they will take part in the Bob Gravett Invitational which is hosted by Ouachita Baptist in Arkadelphia.
For the full 2025 ATU women's cross country schedule, click the following link:
https://arkansastechsports.com/sports/womens-cross-country/schedule
