The Event

• the 2026 season continues for the Dordt University women's cross country team as they compete in the Augustana Invitational this weekend
• the Defenders will run their first 6K distance of the season on Friday morning (Sept.25) at 11am
• the race will take place at Yankton Trails Park in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Meet Information

• Distance: 6000m
• 11am start 
• Yankton Trails Park
• Course Map
• Entry List |
• Live Results (Dakota Timing)

Teams Competing

• 23 teams / 300 runners are scheduled to compete
  • Augustana (NCAA D-II)
  • Bemidji State (NCAA D-II)
  • Black Hills State (NCAA D-II)
  • Buena Vista (NCAA D-III)
  • (RV) Concordia (NAIA - GPAC)
  • Dakota State (NAIA - Frontier)
  • Dakota Wesleyan (NAIA - GPAC)
  • Dordt (NAIA - GPAC)
  • Jamestown (NCAA D-II)
  • Minnesota Moorhead (NCAA D-III)
  • Mount Marty (NAIA - GPAC)
  • #23 Nebraska Kearney (NCAA D-II)
  • Newman (NCAA D-II)
  • Northwestern (NAIA - GPAC)
  • #18 Rogers State (NCAA D-II)
  • Sioux Falls (NCAA D-II)
  • South Dakota State (NCAA D-I)
  • Southwest Minnesota State (NCAA D-II)
  • Trinity Bible
  • University of Mary (NCAA D-II)
  • Valley City State (NAIA)
  • Washburn (NCAA D-II)
  • Wayne State (NCAA D-II)

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
• 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
  • Dordt moved up to second in the latest NAIA Coaches Poll released earlier this week
  • this matches the highest ever national ranking for the Defender women's program
  • Dordt trails #1 Milligan (Tenn.) by one point
  • Dordt has appeared in the preseason coaches' poll every season since 2011
  • the Defenders have been ranked in the top 25 in 105 consecutive polls, the longest current streak in the NAIA
    • during this streak, Dordt has been ranked in the top 10 74 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:
  • this is the second meet of the regular season for the Defenders and their first with the 6K distance
  • following this weekend's competition, the Defenders will have two additional meets in the regular season
  • 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
• Earlier This Year:
  • Dordt won the Sunflower Open, held on the Defenders Home Cross Course on Sept.12
  • Joy Koole and Addy LIston finished 1-2 as individuals and Dordt had four runners place among the top five
  • 12 additional Dordt runners finished 8th - 19th place
  • Dordt's team score was 20 points
  • 25 Defenders ran a personal best 5K