The Dordt University women's cross country team is the favorite to win the conference title in the 2025 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) preseason coaches poll released by the league office earlier today. 

• GPAC Press Release | PDF
• Dordt Results - 2024

Voted upon by the 12 head coaches, the Defenders totaled 121 points and earned 11 of the 12 possible first-place votes in the preseason rating. College of Saint Mary (Neb.) is second with 104 points while receiving the final first place; Doane is picked a close third (103pts), followed by Concordia (93pts) and Northwestern (78pts). 

Dordt, with a No.8 ranking, was the lone GPAC team to hold a spot within the top 25 in the final NAIA Coaches' poll of the 2024 season and the only conference team to run at nationals. College of Saint Mary received votes in the final poll and sent two individuals to compete at the 2024 NAIA Cross Country National Championship in Columbia, Mo.

Defender Notes: 

• 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
• the Defenders won the 2024 team championship with an incredible score of 18, the second lowest ever posted by any team at the championship event
  • four Dordt runners placed in the top five, six among the top 10, and all 10 Defenders finished in the top 35
  • Corinne Braun won the GPAC individual title, becoming the seventh different Dordt runner to claim the individual championship
  • nine Dordt runners earned all-conference honors (top 15 finish):
    • Corinne Braun- 1st
    • Isabella Webb - 2nd
    • Jaci Burtis - 4th
    • Hannah Thong - 5th
    • Jeni Burtis - 6th
    • Courtney Joiner - 10th
    • Jessica Opfer - 13th
    • Jada Koerner - 14th
    • Olivia Hoogland - 15th
• Head Coach Nate Wolf was named GPAC Coach of the Year in 2024
• Dordt has qualified for the NAIA National Championship 14 consecutive seasons (since 2011)
• the Defenders finished among the top 10 at the NAIA National Championship eight times
• Dordt placed 11th last season at the NAIA National Championship
• the Defenders return their top 10 runners from last season; a total of 30 runners are back from the 2024 season
• Dordt opens its 2025 season at home on Sept. 13 for the Sunflower Open