The George Fox Bruins will look to make it six consecutive Northwest Conference women’s cross country championships in 2026, entering the season as the favorite in the NWC Preseason Poll.
George Fox received seven of nine first-place votes and totaled 63 points to claim the top spot in the preseason poll. The Bruins are coming off their fifth straight NWC championship in 2025, when they scored 41 points to finish 20 points ahead of runner-up Whitworth.
Whitworth earned the other two first-place votes and finished second in this year's poll with 58 points. While the Pirates are the closest team to George Fox in the preseason voting, the poll points to a competitive race throughout the conference.
Puget Sound was selected third with 46 points, followed by Pacific with 38 points. Whitman earned 33 points for fifth, while Willamette was sixth with 31 points. Lewis & Clark received 25 points to finish seventh, followed by Pacific Lutheran with 18 points and Linfield with 12 points.
With five teams receiving at least 31 points in the preseason poll, the battle throughout the middle of the standings could be one of the most competitive aspects of the 2026 season. Programs will have the opportunity to make their case throughout the fall before the conference championship ultimately determines the NWC's champion.
The 2026 NWC Championship will take place October 31 at Oak Knoll Golf Course in Salem, Ore. All nine NWC teams will compete for the conference title.
2026 NWC Women’s Cross Country Preseason Poll
| Rank |
Team |
Points |
| 1 |
George Fox (7) |
63 |
| 2 |
Whitworth (2) |
58 |
| 3 |
Puget Sound |
46 |
| 4 |
Pacific |
38 |
| 5 |
Whitman |
33 |
| 6 |
Willamette |
31 |
| 7 |
Lewis & Clark |
25 |
| 8 |
Pacific Lutheran |
18 |
| 9 |
Linfield |
12 |
Points were awarded on an 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis, with coaches unable to vote for their own teams. Numbers in parentheses indicate first-place votes.