West Texas A&M is predicted to win its third consecutive Lone Star Conference women's cross country championship according to the 2025 preseason poll, it was announced on Friday (Aug. 29). In addition, 29 athletes were named to the runners to watch list.
The preseason poll is voted on by LSC head coaches and sports information directors, while the runners to watch are nominated by their member institution.
West Texas A&M, which has won four conference title overall (also 2012 and 2013), collected 30 of the 32 possible first place votes and 510 points. Head coach Zach Daniel's Buffs were the NCAA Division II National Runner-Up last year – the best finish in program history – and fifth at the South Central Regional.
DBU is the second-place conference pick with 472 points and the final two first-place votes. The Patriots won three straight LSC titles from 2020-2022 and were the league runner-up the last two years.
Seven-time LSC champion Midwestern State (the most recent title coming in 2018) is the third-place choice with 424 points. Oklahoma Christian (391 points) and St. Edward's (376 points) round out the top 5.
Texas A&M-Kingsville, which won the league crown in 1986, is the sixth place pick with 325 points. Cameron and UT Tyler are tied for the seventh spot with 308 points. Six-time LSC champion Angelo State is picked ninth with 240 points, followed by 2019 conference champion Lubbock Chrisitan (224 points) to complete the top 10.
Texas A&M International is selected 11th with 200 points, followed by Western New Mexico (197 points), new league member UT Dallas (134 points), Eastern New Mexico (104 points), UT Permian Basin (101 points) and Sul Ross State (38 points) to finish out the poll.
The runners to watch list features at least one athlete from all 16 teams and seven LSC All-Conference finishers from a year ago: WT senior Julie Lafare and sophomore Naomi Addo, DBU junior Lesli Salas, MSU senior Ella Pando, OC Kinley Kite and Brooke Latham, and TAMUK graduate student Ivanova Yanes.
In 2024, Lafare was the LSC Runner of the Year, Salas was an LSC All-Academic Team member and Kite was the Freshman of the Year. Lafare finished 17th at the NCAA Division II Championship with a 6K time of 21:03.1.
Notes
- The LSC women's cross country season begins as early as Sept. 4. For the league schedule, click here.
- The LSC Cross Country Championships are scheduled for Oct. 24 at AP Ranch in Fort Worth, Texas. The event will be hosted by DBU.
- The NCAA Division II South Central Regional is scheduled for Nov. 8 at Walking Stick Golf Club in Pueblo, Colo.
- The NCAA Division II National Championship is scheduled for Nov. 22 at Wayne E. Dannehl National Cross Country Course in Kenosha, Wis.
2025 LSC WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL, RUNNERS TO WATCH
Preseason Poll
| Rank |
Team (1st) |
Total |
| 1 |
West Texas A&M (30) |
510 |
| 2 |
DBU (2) |
472 |
| 3 |
Midwestern State |
424 |
| 4 |
Oklahoma Christian |
391 |
| 5 |
St. Edward's |
376 |
| 6 |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
325 |
| T7 |
Cameron |
308 |
| T7 |
UT Tyler |
308 |
| 9 |
Angelo State |
240 |
| 10 |
Lubbock Christian |
224 |
| 11 |
Texas A&M International |
200 |
| 12 |
Western New Mexico |
197 |
| 13 |
UT Dallas |
134 |
| 14 |
Eastern New Mexico |
104 |
| 15 |
UT Permian Basin |
101 |
| 16 |
Sul Ross State |
38 |
Runners to Watch
| Athlete |
Team |
Cl. |
Major |
Hometown |
| Chasity Benson |
Angelo State |
So. |
Biology |
Roby, Texas |
| Noa Arguilera-Duarte |
Cameron |
Fr. |
Sport & Exercise Science |
Mijas, Spain |
| Marie Sommer |
Cameron |
Gr. |
Psychology |
Muenster, Germany |
| Lesli Salas |
DBU |
Jr. |
Commercial Art |
San Angelo, Texas |
| KayCee Keller |
DBU |
Gr. |
Master of Arts in Psychology |
Lavernia, Texas |
| Chama El Hadiri |
Eastern New Mexico |
Fr. |
Business Administration |
Marrakech, Morocco |
| Elizabeth Lujan-Towles |
Eastern New Mexico |
So. |
Visual Art |
Chimayo, N.M. |
| Olivia Weider |
Lubbock Christian |
Gr. |
Teaching |
Henndorf, Austria |
| Ella Pando |
Midwestern State |
Sr. |
Biology |
Weatherford, Texas |
| Jayden Dangerfield |
Midwestern State |
Sr. |
Computer Science |
Lancaster, Texas |
| Kinley Kite |
Oklahoma Christian |
So. |
Early Childhood Education |
Norman, Okla. |
| Brooke Latham |
Oklahoma Christian |
Sr. |
Psychology |
Amarillo, Texas |
| Mia Rivera |
St. Edward's |
Sr. |
Kinesiology |
El Paso, Texas |
| Juliana Merlo |
St. Edward's |
Sr. |
Psychology |
San Antonio, Texas |
| Olivia Hoelscher |
Sul Ross State |
Fr. |
Natural Resource Mgmt. |
Ballinger, Texas |
| Samantha Viruel |
Texas A&M International |
Fr. |
Pre-Engineering |
Laredo, Texas |
| Dania Sepulveda |
Texas A&M International |
Fr. |
Criminal Justice |
Laredo, Texas |
| Ivanova Yates |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
Gr. |
Kinesiology |
Hollywood, Fla. |
| Kayla Trevino |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
Fr. |
Kinesiology/Pre-Phys. Therapy |
Kingsville, Texas |
| Bharvi Varu |
UT Dallas |
So. |
Computer Info Systems |
Austin, Texas |
| Ellie Suo-Anttila |
UT Dallas |
Jr. |
Biomedical Engineering |
Albuquerque, N.M. |
| Gabrielle Garcia |
UT Permian Basin |
Fr. |
Criminology/Criminal Justice |
Midland, Texas |
| Celine Maldanado |
UT Permian Basin |
Fr. |
Criminology |
Midland, Texas |
| Kailynn Denney |
UT Tyler |
Jr. |
Finance |
Killeen, Texas |
| Macy Cogburn |
UT Tyler |
So. |
Nursing |
Sanger, Texas |
| Julie Lafare |
West Texas A&M |
Sr. |
Sports & Exercise Science |
Uzes, France |
| Naomi Addo |
West Texas A&M |
So. |
Health Sciences |
Accra, Ghana |
| Aubrey Lozoya |
Western New Mexico |
Sr. |
Zoology |
Albuquerque, N.M. |
| Vanessa Dominguez |
Western New Mexico |
Sr. |
Business |
Albuquerque, N.M. |