INDIANAPOLIS – Lewis University was voted in the preseason coaches’ poll as the choice to win the 2025 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) women’s cross country title, the league office announced on Wednesday.
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 13 first-place votes and 169 total points.
- Won the program’s sixth GLVC Championship and placed sixth at the NCAA Division II National Championships last season.
- Coached by James Kearney, who enters his 15th season and is the three-time reigning GLVC Coach of the Year.
- Top-two returners include All-GLVC honorees Josephine Bober, and Kate Guderjan.
- Bober placed fifth at the GLVC Championships,12th at the NCAA Regional, and 43rd at the NCAA Nationals in 2024.
- Guderjan placed seventh at the GLVC Championship and 25th at the NCAA Regional in 2024.
No. 2 Southwest Baptist
- Received one first-place vote and 149 total points.
- Finished runner-up at GLVC Championship and eighth at NCAA Division II Midwest Regional last season.
- Coached by Corey McElhaney, who enters his 19th season and was voted as the 2020 GLVC Coach of the Year.
- Top-two returners include All-GLVC Honorees Natalie Gerdes and Kiersten Potter.
- Gerdes placed 15th at the GLVC Championships, winning the GLVC Freshman of the Year, and 28th at the NCAA Regional in 2024.
- Potter placed 11th at the GLVC Championships and 42nd at the NCAA Regional in 2024.
No. 3 Illinois Springfield
- Received 140 total points.
- Finished fourth at GLVC Championship and 13th at NCAA Division II Midwest Regional last season.
- Coached by Emmons King, who enters his fourth season.
- Top-two returners include All-GLVC honorees Maddie Miller-Ross and Kaliegh Inniss.
- Miller-Ross placed eighth at the GLVC Championships and 22nd at the NCAA Regional in 2024.
- Inniss placed 16th at the GLVC Championships and 46th at the NCAA Regional in 2024.
No. 4 Truman State
- Received 132 total points.
- Finished third at GLVC Championship and seventh at NCAA Division II Midwest Regional last season.
- Coached by Thomas Whittaker who enters his first season.
- Top-two returners include All-GLVC honoree Kate Yates and Cora Stimpson.
- Yates placed 20th at the GLVC Championship and 57th at the NCAA Regional in 2024.
- Stimpson placed 25th at the GLVC Championship and 84th at the NCAA Regional in 2024.
Rounding out the poll respectively in fifth through 14th was Drury (114 points), Maryville (113), Missouri S&T (90), Rockhurst (86), Indianapolis (85), McKendree (53), Missouri-St. Louis (53), Lincoln (37), Quincy (27), Upper Iowa (26).
The complete poll and voting results can be found below.
| Rank |
School |
Points (1st-place votes) |
| 1. |
Lewis |
169 (11) |
| 2. |
Southwest Baptist |
149 (1) |
| 3. |
Illinois Springfield |
140 |
| 4. |
Truman State |
132 |
| 5. |
Drury |
114 |
| 6. |
Maryville |
113 |
| 7. |
Missouri S&T |
90 |
| 8. |
Rockhurst |
86 |
| 9. |
Indianapolis |
85 |
| 10. |
McKendree |
53 |
|
Missouri-St. Louis |
53 |
| 12. |
Lincoln |
37 |
| 13. |
Quincy |
27 |
| 14. |
Upper Iowa |
26 |