The Wayne State College women's cross country team was picked to finish 12^th in the 2026 NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll released Tuesday morning by the league office in Burnsville, Minnesota.  Junior Allie Czapla was listed as Wayne State's Athlete to Watch in the NSIC this season.
            The Wildcats collected 72 points in voting by league coaches after finishing 12^th at last year's Northern Sun Conference Championships held in Wayne.
            Winona State, the defending NSIC and NCAA Central Region champion, was selected by league coaches as the team to beat this season receiving 219 points and 11 first-place votes followed by Minnesota State in second at 202 points and one first-place vote.  Augustana was right behind in third with 201 points and three first-place ballots while Minnesota Duluth (181) and UMary (179) with the remaining first-place vote filling out the top five teams.
            Jamestown came in sixth receiving 143 points followed by Minnesota Crookston (130), Sioux Falls (125), Northern State (112) and MSU Moorhead (96) closing out the top 10 teams.
            Czapla, a junior from Blair (Blair HS), was listed as the Wildcat Athlete to Watch this season after finishing last year as Wayne State's #1 runner at all six meets.  She had a season-best seventh place finish at the Wildcat Classic (9/26/25) and was 50^th out of a 319-runner field at last year's season-opening Augustana Twilight Invitational.
            Wayne State is scheduled to open the 2026 cross country season on Friday, September 4th at the Augustana Twilight Invitational at Yankton Trails Park in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
 
2026 NSIC Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll
1.         Winona State (11)                      219 pts.
2.         Minnesota State (1)                   202 pts.
3.         Augustana (3)                            201 pts.
4.         Minnesota Duluth                      181 pts.
5.         University of Mary (1)                 179 pts.
6.         Jamestown                               143 pts.
7.         Minnesota Crookston                130 pts.
8.         Sioux Falls                                125 pts.
9.         Northern State                          112 pts.
10.        MSU Moorhead                         96  pts.
11.        Bemidji State                             89  pts.
12.        Wayne State                            72  pts.
13.        Minot State                               61  pts.
14.        Southwest Minnesota State      50  pts.
15.        St. Cloud State                         31  pts.
16.        Concordia-St. Paul                   29  pts.