RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Thursday, the Great American Conference announced the Oklahoma Baptist women's cross country team as the 2021 favorite in the preseason coaches' poll after receiving six first-place votes.
The defending conference champions will look to make it five in a row as they became just the fifth GAC program to win at least four straight conference titles. Ouachita men's tennis and Southern Arkansas baseball each won four consecutive championships from 2012 through 2015. In golf, Henderson State's men won four straight from 2014 to 2018, while Arkansas Tech's women have won the last five, dating back to 2015.
To claim the four-peat last season, Emma Downing turned in a first-place finish while Kayla McGruder and Allison Derry followed behind in third and second, respectively. The Bison finished with a team total of 47, 14 ahead of second-place Arkansas Tech.
OBU returns three All-GAC runners, Kayla McGruder, Emma Downing, and Berkley Price, with Downing winning 2021 runner of the year back in the spring.
Oklahoma Baptist is set to open its 2021 season on Sept. 4 with the OBU Invitational in Shawnee.
2021 GAC Preseason Women's Cross Country Poll
- Oklahoma Baptist - 155 (6)
- Harding - 103 (1)
- Arkansas Tech 102 (4)
- Southern Arkansas - 84
- East Central - 82 (1)
- Ouachita - 79
- Southeastern - 64
- SWOSU - 49
- Southern Nazarene - 39
- Northwestern - 33
- Henderson State - 31
- UAM - 11
