RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference has released the 2026 Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll. On the list, the Mulerider Women have been selected as the eighth overall unit, receiving 51 points in the poll. The Mulerider Women are set for their third season under the leadership of Head Coach James Bowlin.
 
The Muleriders go into the season selected eighth out of twelve groups, as the squad was voted ahead of Henderson State (34 points), Southern Nazarene (32 points), Southwestern Oklahoma State (32 points), and Arkansas-Monticello (11 points).
 
Earning the top spot in the preseason poll were the East Central Tigers, with the team receiving 114 points and six of the twelve first-place votes. Right behind them were Oklahoma Baptist and Ouachita Baptist with 107 points each, while OUA received one more first-place vote than OBU, claiming three votes.
 
In fourth, Harding tallied 94 points and a first-place vote. Arkansas Tech ended up in fifth with 76 points. Southeastern Oklahoma State claimed sixth with 68 points, and just two points shy of them with 66, Northwestern Oklahoma State was selected in seventh.
 
Southern Arkansas will launch its new campaign on September 12, when the Muleriders travel to Arkadelphia, Arkansas, for the Bob Gravett Invitational.
 
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