MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Northern Michigan women's cross country team has been picked to finish in second place in the GLIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, announced by the league on Wednesday.
The Wildcats were picked to finish sixth in last year's preseason poll before putting together one of the most successful seasons in program history. Northern finished runner-up at the GLIAC Championships and fourth among 32 teams at the NCAA Midwest Regional, earning a spot in the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2017. The Wildcats also climbed as high as No. 12 in the national rankings during the season.
Grand Valley State takes the top spot in this year's poll, receiving 10 first-place votes. The Lakers will look to capture their 26th consecutive GLIAC championship.
2026 GLIAC Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Grand Valley State, 100 (10)
2. Northern Michigan, 85
3. Wayne State, 79
4. Saginaw Valley State, 79
5. Michigan Tech, 65 (1)
6. Ferris State, 53
7. Parkside, 49
8. Purdue Northwest, 33
9. Lake Superior State, 32
10. Davenport, 19
11. Roosevelt, 11
Northern enters the season under head coach
Jenny Ryan, who was named the 2025-26 NMU Coach of the Year after guiding the Wildcats to their first NCAA Championships team appearance since 2017. Ryan's squad finished 24th nationally at the NCAA Championships while establishing itself as one of the top teams in the Midwest.
The Wildcats return several key contributors from last season, including sophomore
Ashley Choponis, junior
Ella DeBruyn, and senior
Lamar Gordon. Choponis made an immediate impact during her freshman campaign, establishing herself as Northern's No. 2 runner throughout the season. She finished 16th at the GLIAC Championships in 21:38.2 to earn Second Team All-GLIAC honors before placing 20th at the NCAA Midwest Regional in 21:41.78 to earn All-Region recognition. She went on to compete at the NCAA Championships, helping the Wildcats finish 24th nationally.
Gordon also returns after earning All-GLIAC recognition last season and will look to keep building on that success. Debruyn aims to take a step forward as a junior after competing in five meets during her sophomore campaign. She placed 72nd at the GLIAC Championships with a season-best time of 23:29.6. She also opened the 2026 season by leading the Wildcats in their Wildcat Open exhibition on August 21.
Choponis, Gordon and Debruyn headline a group of 25 Wildcats looking to build on last season's success. The group features 10 freshmen, four sophomores, eight juniors and three seniors.
The Wildcats will officially open the 2026 season at the Phoenix Open in Green Bay on Saturday, September 12.
