CARMEL, Ind. – In a vote amongst league coaches, the Hanover College women’s cross country team was picked to finish first in the 2024 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) season.
The Panthers earned the confidence of the coaches, finishing in first in the poll, picking up four first-place votes en route to 74 points. The newest HCAC member, Berea College (70) was voted to take second, claiming five first-place nods. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology claimed the third-place spot with 67 points and the reamining first-place nod. Transylvania University (57) and Manchester University (55) rounded out the top half of the poll.
Listed below is the 2024 HCAC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll, last year's HCAC All-Conference Returners for this fall, and other 2024 HCAC Athletes to Watch. For more information on HCAC Cross Country, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the HCAC's home on the Internet at www.heartlandconf.org. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference news by following @HCACDIII on Twitter and by liking the "HCAC DIII" Facebook page.
2024 HCAC WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL
(#) Denotes First Place Votes
| 1. |
Hanover College (4) |
74 |
| 2. |
Berea College (5) |
70 |
| 3. |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (1) |
67 |
| 4. |
Ttransylvania University |
57 |
| 5. |
Manchester University |
55 |
| 6. |
Franklin College |
40 |
| 7. |
Anderson University |
34 |
| 8. |
Bluffton University |
27 |
| 9. |
Mount St. Joseph University |
14 |
| 10. |
Earlham College |
12 |
HCAC All-Conference Returners from last season:
Anderson
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
| Lydia Dyer |
SR |
Harlan, Ind. |
| Paige McKain |
JR |
Brownstown, Ind. |
Bluffton
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
| Basil Gates |
SR |
Galion, Ohio |
Franklin
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
| Haley Makowski |
SR |
Osceola, Ind. |
| Ella Bashor |
SR |
Aurora, Ind. |
Hanover
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
| Sarah Jones |
JR |
Greencastle, Ind. |
| Allison Manley |
SR |
Taylorsville, Ky. |
| Paige Wildman |
SO |
Celestine, Ind. |
Manchester
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
| Sydney Sluys |
SR |
Columbus, Ind. |
| Rylee Stephany |
JR |
LaPorte, Ind. |
Rose-Hulman
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
| Jocelyn Onstot |
SO |
Cary, Ill. |
| Abigail Kurfman |
SR |
Greenville, S.C. |
| Rebecca Testa |
JR |
Irwin, Pa. |
Transylvania
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
| Kaycee Moore |
JR |
Morehead, Ky. |
| Ellie Thornsbury |
JR |
Louisville, Ky. |
| Emilie Gaudron |
SO |
Charlotte, N.C. |
2024 HCAC Women’s Cross Country Other Athletes to Watch:
Anderson
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
| Jaycie Sones |
JR |
Montpelier, Ind. |
| Anna Walpole |
FY |
Zionsville, Ind. |
Bluffton
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
| Sammie Unger |
SR |
Kenton, Ohio |
| Sara Smith |
FY |
Mansfield, Ohio |
| Jenna Stewart |
FY |
Thornville, Ohio |
Earlham
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
| Lily Schamel |
SR |
Richmond, Ind. |
| Akiko Trotto |
SR |
Honolulu, Hawai'i |
| Katelyn Trotto |
SO |
Reynoldsburg, Ohio |
| Cleo Saltz |
FY |
Bedford Hills, N.Y. |
Franklin
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
| Wynn Wellington |
JR |
Goshen, Ind. |
| Emily Rector |
SR |
Aurora, Ind. |
Hanover
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
| Callie Swegman |
JR |
Columbus, Ind. |
| Lauren Todd |
JR |
Greenwood, Ind. |
Mount St. Joseph
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
| Amanda Zerhusen |
FY |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
Rose-Hulman
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
| Brianna Bittel |
SO |
San Jose, Calif. |
Transylvania
| Name |
Class |
Hometown |
| Gwyneth Cunningham |
SO |
Louisville, Ky. |