The Event

• the Dordt University women's cross country team will make its 2026 season debut this weekend at the first of its three home meets, the Sunflower Open presented by Rankin / Veenstra Wealth Management
• the 5K race at the Defenders Cross Country Course on Saturday, Sept.12 is set for 10am
• the Defenders are ranked third in the NAIA Preseason Coaches' poll

Meet Information

• Distance: 5000m
• 10am start 
• Defenders Cross Country Course
• Course Map / Meet Info
• Entry List |
• Watch (Dordt Media Network)
• Live Results (Dakota Timing)

Teams Competing

• 6 teams / 104 runners are scheduled to compete
  • Briar Cliff (GPAC)
  • College of Saint Mary (GPAC)
  • Dakota State (Frontier)
  • Dordt (GPAC)
  • Mount Marty (GPAC)
  • Northwestern (GPAC)

Defender Notes

• GPAC Success
  • 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
• A Look back 2025
  • Dordt finished third at the 2025 NAIA National Championship held in Tallahassee, Fla.
  • this was the highest finish by the Defenders at the women's national championship
  • three Defenders, Addy Liston (12th), Addy Crow (24th) and Joy Koole (31st), earned All-American honors after finishing in the top 40
  • the Defenders were ranked 7th in the final NAIA Coaches' poll
  • Dordt won its sixth straight GPAC Championship, scoring 17 points, the second lowest score ever recorded at the championship
  • Corinne Braun won her second consecutive GPAC title and was named the GPAC Runner of the Year for the second straight year
  • eight Defenders placed in the top 10; Joy Koole (2nd), Addy Liston (3rd), Addy Crow (5th), Hannah Thong (6th), Isabella Webb (8th), Jaci Burtis (9th), Jenna Hursh (10th)
  • all 10 Dordt runners placed in the top 15 and earned all-conference honors (Courtney Joiner - 13th), Jessica Opfer - 14th)
  • Hannah Thong (1x) and Joy Koole (2x) were named GPAC Runner of the Week
  • Dordt won three of its six meets in the regular season and placed among the top five in alll six
  • 2025 Results | 
• National Success
  • Dordt has qualified for the NAIA National Championship 14 consecutive seasons (since 2012)
  • the Defenders finished among the top 10 at the NAIA National Championship nine times, including five of the last six seasons
• In the Rankings
  • the Defenders begin the season ranked third in the NAIA preseason coaches' poll, the seventh consecutive year they have opened the year ranked in the top 10
  • Dordt has appeared in the preseason coaches' poll every season since 2011
  • the Defenders have been ranked in the top 25 in 103 consecutive polls, the longest current streak in the NAIA
    • during this streak, Dordt has been ranked in the top 10 75 times
  • Dordt was picked to win the conference title based on the GPAC preseason coaches' poll released earlier this season
• About 2026:
  • the Defenders return six of their top 10 runners and a total of 31 runners from last year
  • Roster Notes:
    • 45 total runners
      • 9 seniors
      • 10 juniors
      • 12 sophomores
      • 14 freshmen
• Schedule Outlook:
  • Dordt's schedule features four meets during the regular season, including two home events (Sept.12 and Oct.10)
  • the Defenders also will compete at the Augustana Invite (Sept.25 in Sioux Falls) and the Blazing Tiger Classic (Oct.24 in Ashland, Neb.)
  • the GPAC Championship will be held at the Defenders home course on Nov.7
  • the NAIA Championship returns to once again to Fort Vancouver, Washington at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site on Nov.20
• Coaching Staff
  • Nate Wolf returns for his 12th season as the head of the Dordt Cross Country program
  • Wolf is a 9x GPAC Coach of the Year, including six straight years
  • Wolf earned the USTFCCCA Regional Coach of the Year for the second time in 2025
  • 1st season - 2015
  • Jesse Veenstra and Emilee Heynen round out the Defenders coaching staff
• Top Returners:
  • Jeni Burtis - 5 top 10's, 6 top 25's / all-conference, national qualifier
  • Addy Crow - 1 top 10, 6 top 25's / all-conference / All-American
  • Elizabeth Hoogland - 1 top 10, 3 top 25
  • Olivia Hoogland - 3 top 10, 7 top 25 / all-conference
  • Jenna Hursh - 4 top 10, 7 top 25 / all-conference
  • Jada Koerner - 2 top 10, 10 top 25 / all-conference
  • Joy Koole - 4 top 10, 4 top 25, 1 win / All-Conference, All-American
  • Addy Liston - 3 top 10, 5 top 25 / All-Conference, All-American
  • Macy Marshall - 3 top 25
  • Hannah Thong - 5 top 10, 8 top 25 / 2x all-conference, 2x national qualifier
  • Isabella Webb - 5 top 10, 9 top 25 / 3x all-conference, 3x national qualifier
  • Elyse Zwart - 3 top 10, 4 top 25