Tweet #theGAC  RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Thursday, the Great American Conference released the results of the 2024 GAC women’s cross country ballot. East Central garnered nine first-place votes to enter the season as the preseason favorite.

Last year, the Tigers won the GAC Championships for the third time in program history, and first since 2016, with a 17-point victory at the meet held on the campus of Arkansas Tech. They went on to place 12th at the NCAA Central Region Championships. ECU returns its three All-GAC First-Team runners in Naomy Limatukei, Aurelia Jepkorir and Sheilah Cheruiyot. They finished second, third and fourth, respectively.

Ouachita Baptist collected a pair of first-place votes and finished second in the vote. The Tigers followed up their first team title in 2022 with a runner-up finish. They return all five of the 2023 All-GAC honorees. Macie Cash and Mackenzie Davis each finished inside the top six to make the First Team. Allison Hylkema, Lucy Holden and Izzi Breaux earned Second-Team honors. Jaci McGregor, a All-GAC First Team runner in 2021 and 2022, returns for her senior season.

Arkansas Tech received one first-place vote and took third in the balloting. The Golden Suns placed third at the 2023 GAC Championships following three straight runner-up finishes. Tech brings back three of its six All-GAC performers in Audrey Hill, Libby Booth and Felicity West. Hill took 10th at the GAC Championships to place on the First Team. Libby Booth and Felicity West made the Second Team.

Oklahoma Baptist, fourth in the poll, returns the 2023 Runner of the Year and 2023 Freshman of the Year in Sophia Strange and Mekenzie Connell, respectively. Strange won the individual title at the GAC Championships for the second-straight year. She became the third women’s runner in league history to capture multiple individual titles. She went on to turn in a seventh-place showing at the Central Region Championships and an invite to the National Championships. Connell became the program’s fifth Freshman of the Year in the last nine years.

Harding took fifth, followed by Southeastern Oklahoma State. Kaylie Washko, a two-time All-GAC performer - including a First-Team runner in 2023 - returns for her junior season. The Savage Storm registered their best finish at last year’s championships - sixth - since 2019.

Southern Arkansas and Southern Nazarene claimed the seventh and eighth positions, respectively. Northwestern Oklahoma State, Southwestern Oklahoma State, Henderson State and Arkansas-Monticello rounded out the poll.

The 2024 GAC Cross Country Championships takes place on Saturday, October 26. East Central hosts for the third time in program history. The Tigers hosted in 2012 and 2014 and won the team title in 2012. Harding ran to victory in 2014.