KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The 2026 NAIA Women’s Cross Country season will hit full stride this coming weekend as many of the top teams will run their first meets of the fall season. The 2026 season will see many of the top performers from last year’s NAIA National Championship Meet return to contend for not only individual honors but the Red Banner.
Taylor (Ind.) opens the season as the No. 1 team in the preseason ratings after claiming their first Red Banner last season. They will open the season at the Indiana Wesleyan Twilight Meet on Friday, September 4, and will look to junior Jaynie Halterman to lead their efforts. Halterman has garnered back-to-back individual titles at the national meet and set the NAIA record last year with a time of 20:13.4. Senior Samantha Patterson will also be a key for Taylor this fall after her 14th-place finish at nationals.
Milligan (Tenn.) is in the second spot in the preseason ratings as they will join their men’s squad at the Covered Bridge Open. The Buffaloes placed second last season at nationals and are going to be paced by Annabelle Stewart. The sophomore was the second-fastest freshman in the national field, as she placed ninth overall with a time of 21:19.1.
Dordt (Iowa) claimed the third slot in the early ratings after finishing third at nationals and will open its fall schedule on September 12 at the Sunflower Open. The Defenders return sophomore Addison Liston, who placed 12th overall and was the third-fastest freshman with a mark of 21:39.2 at nationals. Also returning is junior Adeline Crow, who placed 24th in the final meet of the season last year.
College of Idaho finds itself as the fourth team in the ratings and will look to improve on its fifth-place finish at nationals last season. The Yotes start the fall season at the Linfield Harrier Classic this weekend and will be led by seniors Julia Gilbert and Kylee Quinton. Gilbert finished 23rd at the national meet, while Quinton garnered 32nd place.
Coming September 9
Next ratings coming September 23
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