The Dordt University women's cross country team was picked as the favorite to win the conference title in the 2026 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) preseason coaches poll released by the league office earlier today.
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 and received the final first place vote; Concordia (94pts), Morningside (91pts) and Doane (90pts) complete the top five.
Dordt, ranked third in the NAIA preseason poll released last week by the national office, was the lone GPAC team to hold a spot within the top 25. A second conference team, Morningside, received votes in the initial NAIA poll.
Defender Notes:
- Dordt has won six consecutive GPAC titles (2020-25), all under the direction of current head coach Nate Wolf
- the Defenders have won eight of the last nine, 12 of the last 14, conference titles
- the Defenders won the 2025 GPAC team championship with a near-perfect score of 17, the second lowest ever posted by any team at the championship event
- eight Dordt runners placed in the top 10 with all 10 Defenders finishing in the top 15 to earn all-conference honors
- Corinne Braun won the GPAC individual title for the second consecutive year, one of two Defenders to win back-to-back conference championships
- 10 Dordt runners earned all-conference honors (top 15 finish):
- Head Coach Nate Wolf was named GPAC Coach of the Year in 2025, the sixth consecutive year earning the conference's top coaching honor
- Dordt has qualified for the NAIA National Championship 15 consecutive seasons (since 2011)
- the Defenders finished among the top 10 at the NAIA National Championship nine times
- Dordt placed third at the 2025 NAIA National Championship in Tallahassee, Fla.
- Dordt returns seven of its top 10 runners, including three All-Americans and seven who earned all-conference accolades
- Dordt opens its 2026 season at home on Sept. 12 for the Sunflower Open, presented by Rankin / Veenstra Wealth Management
