DALLAS –
McMurry was predicted to repeat at the 2023 American Southwest Conference Women’s Cross Country Championship, collecting 71 points and five first-place votes to lead a vote by league head coaches. The War Hawks won the 2022 ASC Women’s Cross Country title and have won the past two with three total.
Hardin-Simmons senior
Kylah Holland headlined 15 ASC Runners to Watch that were nominated by the league’s head coaches. Holland was the ASC Individual Medalist at the 2022 ASC Women’s Cross Country Championship and also the ASC Newcomer of the Year. Holland was the lone member of the league to qualify for the NCAA Division III Championship, too.
Mary Hardin-Baylor and
East Texas Baptist tied for second with 63 points each. The Cru notched a first-place vote and were second in the team standings at last year’s championship. ETBU rounded out the top three in that competition.
UT Dallas was selected fourth with 51 points.
Hardin-Simmons scored 47 points with the remaining two first-place votes.
LeTourneau checks in at sixth with 44 points.
Concordia Texas (30),
Ozarks, and
Sul Ross State (13) complete the poll.
Sul Ross State is eligible for postseason play due to cross country not having an automatic qualifier for the NCAA Division III Championship.
Eight ASC All-Conference runners from 2022 were tabbed on the Runners to Watch list. Others earning accolades last year include: McMurry sophomore
Chloe McLellan (Freshman of the Year) and Mary Hardin-Baylor graduate student
Holly Dasher (Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year).
The first competitions of the fall season are slated for September 1 and 2.
2023 ASC Preseason Women’s Cross Country Poll
| Team (First Place Votes) |
Points |
2022 Championship Finish |
| 1. McMurry (5) |
71 |
1st |
| 2. Mary Hardin-Baylor (1) |
63 |
2nd |
| 2. East Texas Baptist |
63 |
3rd |
| 4. UT Dallas |
51 |
4th |
| 5. Hardin-Simmons (2) |
47 |
6th |
| 6. LeTourneau |
44 |
5th |
| 7. Concordia Texas |
30 |
IND |
| 8. Ozarks |
23 |
7th |
| 9. Sul Ross State |
13 |
8th |
2023 Runners to Watch
| Name |
Cl. |
Team |
Hometown |
| Rebeca Betanzo * |
Jr. |
UT Dallas |
Fort Worth, Texas |
| Savanna Danner * |
So. |
McMurry |
Kennedale, Texas |
| Holly Dasher * S |
Gr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Katy, Texas |
| Phoebe Dunham * |
So. |
East Texas Baptist |
Prairieville, La. |
| Elianna Friedman |
Fr. |
LeTourneau |
Round Rock, Texas |
| Hope Greenwald |
So. |
LeTourneau |
Tucson, Ariz. |
| Sage Herrera * |
Jr. |
UT Dallas |
Fort Worth, Texas |
| Kylah Holland * M N |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Clyde, Texas |
| Chole McLellan * F |
So. |
McMurry |
Waco, Texas |
| Belkin Vega-Molina |
So. |
Concordia Texas |
Cedar Creek, Texas |
| Scarlett Perez * |
Jr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Woodville, Texas |
| Reagan Ramsey |
Sr. |
Sul Ross State |
Temple, Texas |
| Lesly Torres |
Fr. |
Sul Ross State |
|
| Presley Wall |
Jr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Decatur, Texas |
| Chloe Weathers |
Jr. |
Ozarks |
Clarksville, Ark. |
2022 All-Conference *
2022 Individual Medalist of the Year M
2022 Freshman of the Year F
2022 Newcomer of the Year N
2022 Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year S