LATHAM, N.Y. - The Gallaudet University women's cross country team was picked 11th in the 2026 United East preseason coaches poll released on Tuesday.
Gallaudet competed last year at the 2025 United East cross country championship hosted by Penn State Brandywine but did not record a team score.
Five-time defending conference champion St. Mary's (Md.) was picked as the top team as the Seahawks garnered five first-place votes (114 points). Lancaster Bible College checks in at No. 2 with six first-place votes (111 points) while Cairn University was picked third. Penn State Harrisburg picked up one first-place vote to secure fourth, while Cedar Crest College and Penn College tied for fifth to round out the Top 5 in this year's preseason poll.
The 2026 United East cross country championship will be held on Saturday, Oct. 31, and hosted by Penn St.-Berks.
Gallaudet will open the 2026 season by traveling to Lebanon, Pa., to compete in the Dutchmen Invitational, hosted by Lebanon Valley College, on Sept. 5, with a 10:15 a.m. start time.
2026 United East Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
1. St. Mary's (Md.) (5)
2. Lancaster Bible (6)
3. Cairn
4. Penn St.-Harrisburg
5. Cedar Crest
Penn College
7. Penn St.-Berks
8. Penn St.-Abington
9. Notre Dame (Md.)
10. Penn St.-Brandywine
11. GALLAUDET
Keystone
( ) = First-place votes
Also see:
The preseason poll rankings were conducted by the United East cross country coaches, with each coach ranking out all teams but their own using a staggered points system (11 points for a first-place vote, 10 points for second, etc.). No self-voting was allowed. This is the second year the United East has held preseason polls.
