INDIANAPOLIS – Lewis University was voted in the preseason coaches’ poll as the choice to win the 2024 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) women’s indoor track and field title, the league office announced on Friday.
The preseason poll is selected by the league’s head coaches, who, per GLVC Bylaws, are not permitted to vote for their own team.
No. 1 Lewis
- Received 11 first-place votes and 165 total points.
- Won program’s fourth consecutive and 10th overall GLVC Championship and placed 50th at the NCAA Division II Championships last season.
- Coached by Dana Schwarting, who enters his 18th season and is the reigning GLVC Coach of the Year.
- Return GLVC Freshman of the Year, Khristel Martindale, who won the GLVC 60-meter dash a season ago.
No. 2 Indianapolis
- Received two first-place votes and 154 total points.
- Finished runner-up at GLVC Championship and tied for 19th at the NCAA Division II Championships last season.
- Coached by interim mentor Brad Robinson in his first season, who replaces long-time mentor Scott Fangman but has served as the head cross country coach for the past eight seasons.
- Return 2023 All-GLVC weight throw and pole vault champions, Zoe Pentecost and Sabrina Robison, who also respectively placed third and fourth at last year’s NCAA Championship for All-America honors.
No. 3 Drury
- Received one first-place vote and 135 total points.
- Finished third at GLVC Championship last season.
- Coached by Lee Wood, who enters his third season.
- Return GLVC 200-meter dash champion, Ashley Childers.
No. 4 Southwest Baptist
- Received 127 total points.
- Finished fourth at GLVC Championship last season.
- Coached by Corey McElhaney, who enters his 17th season.
- Return All-GLVC honorees Lilly Simmons and Alexis Barber, who respectively finished runner-up in the GLVC high jump and 800-meter run.
Rounding out the poll respectively in fifth through 14th was Missouri S&T (122 points), Truman State University (110), Maryville University (99), McKendree University (69), University of Illinois Springfield (68), William Jewell College (68), Quincy University (52), University of Missouri-St. Louis (41), Rockhurst University (38), and Upper Iowa University (26).
The complete poll and voting results can be found below.
| Place |
School |
Points (1st-place votes) |
| 1. |
Lewis |
165 (11) |
| 2. |
Indianapolis |
154 (2) |
| 3. |
Drury |
135 (1) |
| 4. |
Southwest Baptist |
127 |
| 5. |
Missouri S&T |
122 |
| 6. |
Truman State |
110 |
| 7. |
Maryville |
99 |
| 8. |
McKendree |
69 |
| 9. |
Illinois Springfield |
68 |
|
William Jewell |
68 |
| 11. |
Quincy |
52 |
| 12. |
Missouri-St. Louis |
41 |
| 13. |
Rockhurst |
38 |
| 14. |
Upper Iowa |
26 |