NASHVILLE – Coming off the best NCAA South Regional team finish in program history, the Trevecca Nazarene University women's cross country team enters the 2026 season picked No. 5 in the Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll.

The Trojans received 60 points from the league's coaches, placing them in the top half of an 11-team conference heading into their first cross country season under Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Joe Frye.

Lee is the preseason favorite with 98 points and eight first-place votes. Mississippi Christian received the remaining three first-place votes and is second with 91 points.

UAH is third with 84 points, followed by Union with 71 and Trevecca with 60 to complete the preseason top five.

AUM is only two points behind the Trojans in sixth with 58, followed by Christian Brothers, Montevallo, West Alabama, Valdosta State and Delta State.

The No. 5 projection follows a 2025 season in which Trevecca established another program benchmark at the NCAA South Regional Championships.

2026 GSC WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

First-place votes in parentheses.

BUILDING ON ANOTHER PROGRAM BEST

For the second consecutive year, the Trevecca women established the best NCAA regional team finish in program history.

The Trojans placed 11th at the 2025 NCAA South Regional Championship after finishing seventh at the Gulf South Conference Championships.

Trevecca showed its potential immediately.

Freshman Hadar Biger opened the season at the Southern Showcase by running 19:17.9, the fastest 5K collegiate debut in program history.

Hailey Holloway joined Biger under 20 minutes with a 19:46.8, while Ashley Alsvig finished in 19:58.6.

Trevecca finished 10th among the NCAA Division II programs competing in a Southern Showcase field filled primarily with Division I teams.

One week later, the Trojans finished fourth at their Michael Pretorius Invitational, trailing only three NCAA Division I programs.

Biger and Holloway again broke 20 minutes.

The progress continued through the Louisville Classic, Lewis Crossover, GSC Championships and NCAA South Regional.

Hope Ilias, Holloway and Biger each broke 23 minutes over 6K at the GSC Championships before Trevecca closed the season with Ilias, Biger and Alsvig all finishing the regional course in less than 24 minutes.

RETURNING EXPERIENCE FOR 2026

While the 2026 roster has a different look, Frye inherits a group with significant championship experience.

Senior Ashley Alsvig returns after being part of Trevecca's scoring group throughout 2025.

Alsvig posted a season-best 5K of 19:57.8 at the Louisville Classic and ran 23:49.1 over 6K at the GSC Championships.

Her best finish was 16th, a position she reached at both the Michael Pretorius Invitational and Louisville Classic.

Junior Ximena Acosta also returns following a strong postseason.

Acosta ran a season-best 21:03.5 in the 5K at Louisville before dropping her 6K best to 23:32.6 at the GSC Championships.

Junior Sarah Gwen Arnold competed throughout the 2025 season and recorded a season-best 5K of 21:54.9 at Louisville and a 6K best of 24:09.3 at the GSC Championships.

Sophomore Sophia Garcia returns after gaining extensive collegiate experience during her first season. Garcia's best 5K was 22:37.2 at Louisville, while she ran 26:16.7 at the GSC Championships.

Sophomore Kayliana Martin also returns. Martin ran 20:49.9 in her collegiate debut at the Southern Showcase before recording a season-best 6K of 25:09.5 at the GSC Championships.

The roster also includes seniors Hailey Carmichael and Madeline Patton.

TWO FRESHMEN JOIN THE TROJANS

Trevecca adds freshmen Kate Brent and Sarah Penney to the 2026 roster.

Brent comes to Trevecca from Harpeth High School in Kingston Springs, Tenn., where she was a four-time state qualifier.

Her high school personal bests include 2:26.55 in the 800 meters and 5:36.63 in the 1,600.

Brent finished fourth in the state in the 800 as a freshman and, during her 2026 senior season, won sectional championships in both the 800 and 1,600 before earning Tennessee Sports Writers Association All-State recognition in track and field.

She also competed in soccer at Harpeth and served as team captain.

Penney joins the Trojans from Marshfield High School in Massachusetts.

She recorded a 5K cross country personal best of 19:53.3 during her junior season.

Penney also continues a family connection to Trevecca cross country. Her older sister, Ruth Penney, competed for the Trojans and completed her Trevecca cross country and track career in 2024.

A NEW HOME COURSE WITH A CHAMPIONSHIP PURPOSE

One of the biggest storylines of Trevecca's 2026 season will be the location of its two home meets.

Trevecca moves the Michael Pretorius Invitational to Andrew Jackson's Hermitage on Saturday, Sept. 26.

The importance of the meet extends beyond another opportunity to compete at home.

The same course will host the 2026 Gulf South Conference Cross Country Championships on Friday, Nov. 6, giving the Trojans an opportunity to race the championship course six weeks before the league returns to Nashville.

The Hermitage is a 1,120-acre National Historic Landmark with extensive open fields, wooded areas and historic landscapes.

The cross country course is relatively flat with several rolling sections and an uphill run toward the finish.

The Michael Pretorius Invitational serves as a GSC Championship preview meet. The women's 5K is scheduled for 9 a.m., following the men's 8K at 8 a.m.

THE ROAD TO THE GSC CHAMPIONSHIPS

Trevecca opens the 2026 season Friday, Sept. 18, at the Southern Showcase in Huntsville, Ala.

That meet provides an immediate measuring point at the same location where several Trojans opened the 2025 season with personal-best and program-record performances.

Eight days later, Trevecca hosts the Michael Pretorius Invitational at The Hermitage.

The Trojans then travel to Romeoville, Ill., for the Lewis Crossover on Oct. 10.

Trevecca returns to Huntsville on Oct. 24 for the UAH Festival Year Fiasco, the final scheduled meet before the GSC Championships.

The conference meet comes home to Nashville on Nov. 6.

That gives Trevecca two opportunities to compete on its championship course during the season and gives the Trojans a chance to pursue improvement from last year's seventh-place GSC finish on familiar ground.

POSTSEASON ROAD RETURNS TO HUNTSVILLE

The NCAA South Regional Championship is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 21, in Huntsville.

Trevecca enters 2026 coming off consecutive program-best regional finishes, including last season's 11th-place result.

For the Trojans, the next benchmark is in view.

The NCAA Division II National Championships are scheduled for Friday, Dec. 4, at Rim Rock Farms in Lawrence, Kan.

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