INDIANAPOLIS – Lewis University was voted in the preseason coaches’ poll as the unanimous choice to win the 2024 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) women’s cross country 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 all possible 14 first-place votes and 196 total points.
- Won the program’s fifth GLVC Championship and placed third at the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional last season.
- Coached by James Kearney, who enters his 15th season and is the two-time reigning GLVC Coach of the Year.
- Top-two returners include GLVC Runner of the Year Hannah Smrcka and All-GLVC honoree Caroline Pacer-Ryan.
- Smrcka won the GLVC Championship, finished eighth at the NCAA Regional, and 56th at the NCAA Nationals in 2023.
- Pacer-Ryan placed fourth at the GLVC Championship and 19th at the NCAA Regional in 2023.
No. 2 Southwest Baptist
- Received 167 total points.
- Finished third at GLVC Championship and fifth at NCAA Division II Midwest Regional last season.
- Coached by Corey McElhaney, who enters his 18th season and was voted as the 2020 GLVC Coach of the Year.
- Top-two returners include Olivia Littleton and Kiersten Potter.
- Littleton placed 29th at the GLVC Championship and 79th at the NCAA Regional in 2023.
- Potter placed 32nd at the GLVC Championship and 71st at the NCAA Regional in 2023.
No. 3 Drury
- Received one first-place vote and 163 total points.
- Finished runner-up at GLVC Championship and 6th at NCAA Division II Midwest Regional last season.
- Coached by Luke Karamitros, who enters his first season.
- Top-two returners include Ashley Sexton and Alexis Workman.
- Sexton placed 27th at the GLVC Championship and 52nd at the NCAA Regional in 2023 .
- Workman placed 34th at the GLVC Championship in 2023.
No. 4 Truman State
- Received 151 total points and one first-place vote.
- Finished fourth at GLVC Championship and 24th at NCAA Division II Midwest Regional last season.
- Coached by Collin Nurenberg, who enters his third season.
- Top-two returners include All-GLVC honorees Lexy Henrikson and Addie Mathis.
- Lawson placed 16th at the GLVC Championship and 62nd at the NCAA Regional in 2023.
- Judy placed 17th at the GLVC Championship and 39th at the NCAA Regional in 2023.
Rounding out the poll respectively in fifth through 15th was Indianapolis (150), Illinois Springfield (141), Missouri S&T (119), Maryville (97), Missouri-St. Louis (96), Rockhurst (92), McKendree (64), Upper Iowa (43), William Jewell (37), Lincoln (31), and Quincy (28).
The complete poll and voting results can be found below.
| Rank |
School |
Points (1st-place votes) |
| 1. |
Lewis |
196 (14) |
| 2. |
Southwest Baptist |
167 |
| 3. |
Drury |
163 |
| 4. |
Truman State |
151 (1) |
| 5. |
Indianapolis |
150 |
| 6. |
Illinois Springfield |
141 |
| 7. |
Missouri S&T |
119 |
| 8. |
Maryville |
97 |
| 9. |
Missouri-St. Louis |
96 |
| 10. |
Rockhurst |
92 |
| 11. |
McKendree |
64 |
| 12. |
Upper Iowa |
43 |
| 13. |
William Jewell |
37 |
| 14. |
Lincoln |
31 |
| 15. |
Quincy |
28 |