The Event

• No.9 Dordt University women's cross country will send a group of runners to compete in the Briar Cliff Invite this weekend
• the 6K race will take place at the Adams Nature Reserve in North Sioux City, S.D.
• start time has been moved up to 10:15am due to the predicted heat

Meet Information

• Distance: 6000m
• 10:15am start 
• Course Map
• Live Results (Dakota Timing)

Teams Competing

• Dordt, Northwestern, Briar Cliff, Morningside, Concordia are some of the teams competing this weekend

Defender Notes

• In the Rankings
  • the Defenders fell one spot to ninth in this week's edition of the NAIA Coaches' poll
  • they began the season ranked ninth in the preseason poll and moved up to eighth last week (Sept.25)
  • Dordt has appeared in the preseason coaches' poll every season since 2011
  • the Defenders have been ranked in the top 25 in 99 consecutive polls, the longest current streak in the NAIA
    • during this streak, Dordt has been ranked in the top 10 69 times
  • Dordt was picked to win the conference title based on the GPAC preseason coaches' poll released earlier this season
• GPAC Success
  • Dordt has won five consecutive GPAC titles (2020-24), all under the direction of current head coach Nate Wolf
  • the Defenders have won seven of the last eight, 11 of the last 13, conference titles
• National Success
  • Dordt has qualified for the NAIA National Championship 13 consecutive seasons (since 2011)
  • the Defenders finished among the top 10 at the NAIA National Championship eight times, including four of the last five seasons
• Schedule Outlook:
  • Dordt's schedule features five meets during the regular season, including two home events (Sept.13 and Oct.11)
  • this is the third meet of the season
  • the NAIA Championship returns to Tallahassee, Fla. and will be held at the Apalachee Regional Park on Nov.21
  • the GPAC Championship will be held at the Mahoney State Park near Ashland, Neb. on Nov.8
• Coaching Staff
  • Nate Wolf returns for his 11th season as the head of the Dordt Cross Country program
  • Wolf was named the GPAC Coach of the Year in 2024, the 8th time he earned the league's top honor
    • 1st season - 2015
  • Jesse Veenstra and Emilee Heynen round out the Defenders coaching staff
• Last Time Out:
  • the Defenders posted their best ever finish at the Roy Griak Invite on Sept.19
  • they placed fifth of 24 teams and first among the NAIA teams competing
  • all five of the Defenders' scorers who contributed towards the 137 points placed among the top 40 individuals
  • Hannah Thong placed 15th and finished on the podium
  • Addy Crow was 21st, followed by Jaci Burtis (31st), Isabella Webb (33rd) and Jada Koerner (37th)
• two Dordt runners, Hannah Thong and Joy Koole, received GPAC Runner of the Week honors this season
• Dordt did not compete in the Briar Cliff Invite last year but won the meet in 2023
• Dordt ranks 1-5 within the GPAC in fastest 6K time run this season
  • Hannah Thong, Addy Crow, Jaci Burtis, Isabella Webb, Jada Koerner
• two additional Defenders, Courtney Joiner (8) and Jenna Hursh (9), rank in the top 10 in the GPAC
• Thong has been among Dordt's top three runners in both meets this season
• Jaci Burtis, Jenna Hursh and Courtney Joiner has been among Dordt's top seven runners in both meets
• Jessica Opfer leads the Defenders with six career top 10's, followed by Corinne Braun (5), Burtis (5), Joiner (5) and Isabella Webb (5)