SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The Yellowjacket women's cross country team finished fourth in the 2026 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) preseason poll, the league announced Thursday.
The Yellowjackets grabbed 22 points in the poll among league head coaches. Leading the charge was Crown with 35 points, followed by Northwestern (32 points) and Martin Luther (23 points).
UWS returns the junior duo of
Simone Stephens (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro) and
Lilley Smith (Ironwood, Mich./Ironwood), alongside
Amelia Olson (Sturgeon Lake, Minn./Moose Lake) from last year's squad. Stephens led the 'Jackets two years ago in the championship race with a time of 23:29.0, while Smith led the way in 2025 with a 25:33.3. Olson would follow with a race time of 26:13.8.
Rounding out the poll was Bethany Lutheran in fifth place (16 points), followed by Minnesota Morris (13 points) and North Central (six).
The Yellowjackets begin the campaign at the Cougar Twilight, scheduled for Friday, Sept. 11 at Pomme De Terre Golf Club in Morris, Minn.
