Women's Cross Country 8/13/2026 4:00:00 PM Clayton Messerle, Assistant Athletic Director

Warriors Selected Fifth in 2026 CCC Women’s Cross Country Coaches Preseason Poll

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) office announced the 2026 Women's Cross Country Coaches' Preseason Poll earlier today, with the Corban University women's cross country program picked fifth among the conference's 12 member institutions. The Warriors garnered 90 points in the annual vote, positioning themselves firmly in the upper half of one of the NAIA's premier distance-running conferences.

To view the conference's release on the 2026 CCC Women's Cross Country Coaches' Preseason Poll, click HERE.

"We are excited to see what God has in store this year on the women's side," explained Warriors' associate head coach Stuart Eagon. "I personally believe a fifth-place poll prediction might be a little bit generous with where we are in a deep CCC, but it's possible if our fall goes very well. I am hoping we will have a pack of five ladies right around 19:00 for 5k or 23:00 for 6k. If we do this, we give ourselves a chance to improve upon where we were last year, when we were within the top 30-35 teams nationally. Our values for this season are pursuing Jesus and hard work."

Corban's fifth-place selection places the Warriors behind the preseason favorites and defending conference champion Yotes from The College of Idaho, Southern Oregon University, Eastern Oregon University, and Lewis-Clark State College, while finishing ahead of Trinity Western University, Oregon Tech, Northwest University, The Evergreen State College, Bushnell University, Walla Walla University, and Warner Pacific University.

The Warriors enter the 2026 campaign coming off an impressive 2025 season in which they finished sixth at the CCC Championships while competing on their home course at Oak Knoll Golf Course in Independence. Corban totaled 144 team points and was highlighted by senior standout Abigail Oosterhout, who placed sixth overall with a time of 22:13.5 over the 6K course to earn All-CCC honors.

Oosterhout's stellar postseason performance propelled her to the NAIA National Championships in Tallahassee, Florida, where she crossed the finish line in 22:21.85 and placed 57th nationally against the NAIA's top runners.

Under Eagon's leadership, the Warrior distance programs have experienced remarkable growth and national success. Since joining the program in 2021, Corban student-athletes have accumulated multiple national championships, All-American honors, and consistent national recognition through both cross country and track & field competition. The women's program has steadily climbed the conference ladder in recent years, finishing seventh at the 2024 CCC Championships before improving to sixth in 2025.

The 2025 season showcased significant progress for the Navy and Gold throughout the fall. Corban recorded a sixth-place team finish at the Lewis & Clark Opener, placed fourth at the Ash Creek Collegiate, and gained valuable experience against regional and national competition throughout the season before peaking at the conference championships.

With a strong returning nucleus and another talented recruiting class entering the program, expectations continue to rise for the Warriors as they seek to challenge for a top-five conference finish and additional national championship qualification opportunities. Competing in a CCC conference that featured five teams ahead of Corban at last season's championship meet, the Warriors will rely on both veteran leadership and emerging contributors throughout the 2026 campaign.

Corban opens the 2026 season early next month and will once again target a strong finish at the CCC Championships before pursuing postseason opportunities on the national stage.

2026 CCC Women's Cross Country Coaches' Preseason Poll Results

Team [First-Place Votes] Points

1. College of Idaho [9] 142

2. Southern Oregon [1] 126

3. Eastern Oregon 116

4. Lewis-Clark State 110

5. Corban (Ore.) 90

6. Trinity Western [1] 75

7. Oregon Tech 72

8. Northwest (Wash.) 62

9. Warner Pacific (Ore.) 58

10. Bushnell (Ore.) 44