Marlborough, Mass. - October 29, 2026 - No. 9 nationally-ranked MIT has been selected atop the 2026 New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Women’s Cross Country Pre-Championship poll as voted on by the 12 head coaches from across the league ahead of the conference meet on Saturday, October 31.
This year’s NEWMAC Men’s Cross Country Championships will take place at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. The women’s 6-kilometer race will begin at 11:00 am. You can find all of the information needed for Saturday’s meet here: 2026 NEWMAC Women’s Cross Country Championships.
The MIT women’s cross country team, which received 11 of 12 first place votes and is ranked ninth nationally and second regionally, has won 18 consecutive NEWMAC titles and will take to the course under the direction of head coach Dan Schuman, who is in his first season with the Engineers. MIT has been led this season by Jordan Lacsamana (Dallas, Texas) as she paced the Engineers at Pre-Nationals and Liv Girand (New York, N.Y), who led MIT at the Conn College Invitational. Of MIT’s eight All-NEWMAC honorees from a season ago, the Engineers will return four to the course this weekend including Girand, Jessica Meza (Columbus, Ind.), Ava Hartman (New Orleans, La.) and Megan Diulus (Akron, Ohio).
Coast Guard received the other first place votes and is having a solid 2026 season under head coach Greg Ahnrud. The Bears are ranked seventh in the latest Mideast regional rankings are have been led this fall by sophomore Kevyn Fish (Allison Park, Pa.) as she individually won the Wesleyan Invitational title, placed sixth at the Greg Suitor Invitational and placed 19th at the Conn College Invitational. Fish’s time at Connecticut College, amongst a field of nationally-ranked programs was an eight second personal best and will look to lead the pack on Saturday and earn All-Conference honors for the first time. Coast Guard’s Brooke Hunter (Phillipsburg, N.J.), who earned All-Conference accolades last year will look to build on her 19th place finish from 2025 on Saturday.
Wellesley and Smith were separated by just one point in the pre-championship poll finishing third and fourth, respectively. As a team, the Blue have won a pair of meets as sophomore Cadence Chang (Boston, Mass.) as led Wellesley all fall winning the Pop Crowell Invitational as well as three top-15 finishes this season. Meanwhile, the Bears have been paced by returning All-Conference honoree and All-Region selection Lucy Kreipke (Princeton, N.J.). Kreipke individually finished 13th at last year’s NEWMAC Championship meet and will certainly have an advantage with this week’s meet taking place on her home course. This fall, Kreipke has posted three top-16 finishes and won the Ellen O’Neil Invitational title.
WPI finished fifth in the pre-championship poll with 74 points. This fall the Engineers have been paced by first-year Callan Stabler (Niskayuna, N.Y.) as she has been WPI’s top finisher in all four meets this season and will certainly be looking to make an impact at her first NEWMAC Championship meet. Stabler will run on Saturday to be WPI’s first NEWMAC Rookie of the Year since Emily Newman took home the honor in 2014.
Right behind WPI was Babson with 66 points, Wheaton with 59 points, Salve Regina with 56 points and Springfield with 54 points in this fall’s pre-championship poll. The Beavers have been led this season by Angelina Widmer (Wantagh, N.Y.), who is averaging a six kilometer time of 24:35 in three races and paced Babson at the Connecticut College Invitational a couple of weeks ago. Wheaton junior Chloe Vescio (Douglas, Mass.) has been the Lyons’ top finisher in three meets this fall, while classmate Abby Wozniak (Blackstone, Mass.) has finished close behind as this duo will be the two to watch on Saturday for Wheaton.
Meanwhile, Isabella Hastings (Grantham, N.H.) and Anna Weygang (Farmington, Conn.) have been Salve Regina’s top two-runners all fall in the Seahawks three meets. Weygang and Hastings both took home NEWMAC All-Conference accolades last fall finishing 12th and 15th, respectively, becoming Salve Regina’s first NEWMAC All-Conference honorees since joining the conference in the fall of 2023. Springfield will return reigning NEWMAC Rookie of the Year Kristina Kyle (Watertown, Conn.) to the course on Saturday. She placed 14th in last year’s conference championship meet. Springfield has had a different top finisher in each of its six meets this fall, but after leading the Pride at the James Earley Invitational, Sara St. Germain (Somers, Conn.) was tabbed as the league’s Runner of the Week.
Mount Holyoke, Clark and Emerson round out this year’s Women’s Cross Country Pre-Championship Poll. In her return to the Lyons squad, senior Angali Phadnis (San Marcos, Calif.) has led Mount Holyoke over the team’s past three meets. Clark senior Nicole Steele (Bedford, Mass.) has led the Cougars in three of the team’s four meets this year as she has recorded a pair of top-25 finishes. Sophomore Laila Morales (El Paso, Texas) has been Emerson’s top harrier this fall as she clocked a career-best 11th place finish and a time of 27:54.1 at the Runnin’ Monks Classic two weeks ago. Morales has been Emerson’s top finisher in three straight meets dating back to October 3.
Complete NEWMAC Women’s Cross Country Pre-Championship Poll
1. MIT - 121 Points - 11 First Place Votes
2. Coast Guard - 111 Points - 1 First Place Vote
3. Wellesley - 95 Points
4. Smith - 94 Points
5. WPI - 74 Points
6. Babson - 66 Points
7. Wheaton - 59 Points
8. Salve Regina - 56 Points
9. Springfield - 54 Points
10. Mount Holyoke - 29 Points
11. Clark - 20 Points
12. Emerson - 16 Points
About the NEWMAC
The NEWMAC is an association of 13 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Saint Anselm College (beginning reclassification process with NCAA in 2027-28), Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with seven Associate Members: New York University (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), SUNY New Paltz (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), and Vassar College (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), while sponsoring 21 sports.