Nine members of the Dordt University women's cross country team earned postseason recognition, led by
Joy Koole (GPAC Runner of the Year) and Head Coach
Nate Wolf (GPAC Coach of the Year), announced by the league office.
To receive all-conference accolades, runners had to finish among the top 15 individuals at the GPAC Championship. The GPAC Runner of the Year is awarded to the individual champion at the conference championship while the Coach of the Year honor is voted upon by the 12 league coaches.
Wolf receives the top coaching honor from the GPAC for the seventh consecutives season and for the 10th time overall. Wolf led the Defenders to the GPAC title with a perfect 15 points and a No.1 ranking over the last four NAIA polls.
Koole was first to cross the finish line at Saturday's championship, pulling away over the final 800m to win the GPAC Individual Championship. Koole completed the course in 21:11, just off her personal best, and won her third race of the season. The sophomore is the eighth different Dordt runner to win the GPAC Individual title
- Jen Kempers - 2008
- Michelle Steiger - 2010
- Annechiena Knevelbaard - 2018
- Olivia Couch - 2019
- Taylor (Anema) Droog - 2020
- Jessica Kampman - 2022 and 2023
- Corinne Braun - 2024-25
- Joy Koole - 2026
Addy Liston finished as the GPAC runner-up and earns all-conference honors for the second consecutive season. Liston ran a personal-best time of 21:18, eight seconds faster than her previous best and recorded her third top 10 finish of the season.
Bailey VanderGriend finished third overall and earns the postseason honor for the first time. The freshman completed the course in 21:34 and recorded her third top 10 finish.
Addy Crow crossed the finish line just behind VanderGriend and in fourth place with a personal-best time of 21:35. Crow's time was a 14-second personal best and the junior earns all-conference honors for the second time.
Hannah Thong was the fifth and final scorer for the Defenders, placing fifth with a five-seconds personal best time of 21:40. The junior earns the postseason honor for the third consecutive season after a sixth place finish last year and fifth in 2024.
Jeni Burtis earned her second all-conference honor, placing eighth in last weekend's race with a time of 22:07. Burtis also claimed the honor in 2024 (6th place).
Katie Young earns the all-conference honor for the first time and ran a personal-best time to place ninth overall (22:14).
Isabella Webb was the final Defender runner to earn the postseason honor and finished 12th overall with a 6K time of 22:33. Webb earns all-conference accolades for the fourth time (10th in 2023, 2nd in 2024, 8th in 2025).
The Defenders won their seventh consecutive conference title and 13th overall, surpassing Nebraska Wesleyan for the most conference championships won in in the GPAC and NIAC years (1979 - present).
Dordt earned an automatic bid into the NAIA National Championship which will be held Nov.20 at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver, Wash.
