CANTON, Ga. – In their debut season with the Southern Athletic Association, the Trinity Tigers have been tabbed the preseason favorite in the 2025 SAA Women’s Cross Country Coaches Poll.

The Tigers collected four first-place votes and 52 points to edge out Centre, which earned two first-place votes and 50 points for the No. 2 spot. Defending champion Berry was picked third with 48 points and two first-place votes. Rhodes and Southwestern tied for fourth with 34 points apiece to round out the top five.

Voting was conducted among the SAA’s eight head coaches.

2025 WXC Preseason Poll Results
1. Trinity - 52 (4)
2. Centre - 50 (2)
3. Berry - 48 (2)
T4. Rhodes - 34
T4. Southwestern - 34
6. Sewanee - 25
7. Oglethorpe - 23
8. Millsaps - 14

Trinity enters its first SAA season after a strong 2024 campaign in the SCAC, where the Tigers finished second and placed three runners on the All-SCAC team. Two of those honorees return in 2025 - Gianna Keena and Cali Good. Keena also earned All-Region recognition last fall with a 30th-place finish at the NCAA Regionals.

Centre boasts the most SAA women’s cross country titles in conference history and held the league’s longest championship streak with seven consecutive crowns before Berry broke through last fall for its first title since 2016. The Colonels return NCAA qualifier Sophie Bouldin, a senior who is a three-time First Team All-SAA selection, the 2024 SAA Runner of the Year, and the 2022 SAA Newcomer of the Year.

Berry brings back standout Anna Ayers, who competed at the 2024 NCAA Championships and earned both First Team All-SAA and USTFCCCA All-Region honors.

The 2025 SAA Cross Country Championship is scheduled for November 1 in Georgetown, Texas, hosted by Southwestern University.

 

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SAA Women’s Cross Country Champions
2024 – Berry
2023 – Centre
2022 – Centre
2021 – Centre
2021* – Centre
2019 – Centre
2018 – Centre
2017 – Centre
2016 – Berry
2015 – Rhodes
2014 – Centre
2013 – Centre
2012 – Centre
*Championship conducted in spring due to Covid

For more information on all things SAA, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the SAA's home on the internet at www.saa-sports.com. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Southern Athletic Association news by following @SAA_Sports on Twitter (X) and @SAA_Sports on Instagram.