Contact: Chassidy Holloway, Associate Executive Director, holloway@midwestconference.org
 
GRINNELL, Iowa – The Midwest Conference (MWC) women’s cross country head coaches picked the Ripon College Red Hawks to finish first in the 2023 preseason poll, announced Tuesday.
 
Ripon earned 62 points and six first-place votes to lead all teams. Last season, the Red Hawks won their program’s first women’s cross country title. The Red Hawks will start the 2023 campaign with a U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) preseason ranking at number ten in the North Region.
 
In second place, Grinnell College picked up two first-place votes and 56 points, ahead of Lawrence University in third place with 50 points.
 
The Cornell College Rams received the remaining first-place vote and 46 points to secure a fourth-place finish in the poll, while the Fighting Scots of Monmouth College (27) edged out the Beloit College Buccaneers (26) by a one-point margin for fifth and sixth place, respectively.
 
The poll rounds out with Lake Forest College (24), Illinois College (22), and Knox College (11).
 
Seven league teams will be in action on Friday, September 1, to open the season, followed by the two remaining teams on Saturday, September 2.
 
The 2023 MWC Cross Country Championships are set for Saturday, October 28, at the Grinnell College Golf Course in Grinnell, Iowa.
 
Full preseason coaches’ poll results and quick facts for all nine teams can be found below:
 
2023 MWC Women’s Cross Country Preseason Coaches’ Poll Results
1. Ripon College (6) – 62 points
2. Grinnell College (2) – 56 points
3. Lawrence University – 50 points
4. Cornell College (1) – 46 points
5. Monmouth College – 27 points
6. Beloit College – 26 points
7. Lake Forest College – 24 points
8. Illinois College – 22 points
9. Knox College – 11 points
 
() – indicates first-place votes
* Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own teams.

Beloit College Buccaneers
Head Coach: Ellie Waddle (3^rd Season)
2022 MWC Finish: 5^th
All-Conference Returnees: N/A
 
Cornell College Rams
Head Coach: Jerry Frawley (3^rd Season)
2022 MWC Finish: 4^th
All-Conference Returnees: Katie Lammers (Jr)
 
Grinnell College Pioneers
Head Coach: Sarah Burnell (3^rd Season)
2022 MWC Finish: 2^nd
All-Conference Returnees: Diana Barba (So), Talia Harrison (So), Keely Miyamoto (So – 2022 Newcomer of the Year), Hannah Roark (So), Sarah Torrence (Sr)

Illinois College Lady Blues
Head Coach: Anthony Flores (1^st Season)
2022 MWC Finish: 7^th
All-Conference Returnees: N/A
 
Knox College Prairie Fire
Head Coach: Ryan Monson (1^st Season)
2022 MWC Finish: 9^th
All-Conference Returnees: N/A
 
Lake Forest College Foresters
Head Coach: Patrick Austin (2^nd Season)
2022 MWC Finish: 6^th
All-Conference Returnees: N/A
 
Lawrence University Vikings
Head Coach: Jason Fast (15^th Season)
2022 MWC Finish: 3^rd
All-Conference Returnees: Althea Foster (Jr), Edythmae Frodl (Jr), Berkeley Krell (So), Cristyn Oliver (Jr – 2021/2022 MWC Champion), Riley Winebrenner (Jr)
 
Monmouth College Scots
Head Coach: Brady Hunt (2^nd Season)
2022 MWC Finish: 8^th
All-Conference Returnees: N/A
 
Ripon College Red Hawks
Head Coach: Corey Bins (7^th Season)
2022 MWC Finish: 1^st
All-Conference Returnees: Alison Denamur (Jr), Mikayla Flyte (Sr), Angela Mosconi (So), Isabelle Willett (Sr)