2026 NEC Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll                   1. CCSU (6)                 2. Stonehill (3)                 3. Wagner                 4. Mercyhurst                 5. LIU                 6. Le Moyne                 7. FDU                 8. New Haven                 9. Chicago State                First place votes in parentheses

Bridgewater, NJ –- With seven championships in the past eight seasons already in hand, two-time defending champion Central Connecticut enters 2026 looking to add another chapter in its remarkable run of NEC women's cross country dominance.

The Blue Devils topped the preseason coaches poll and collected six first place votes.

Stonehill finished second with three first place votes, followed by Wagner in third.

Mercyhurst placed fourth, succeeded by LIU and Le Moyne in fifth and sixth.

FDU, New Haven and Chicago State rounded out the poll in that order.

Six-time NEC Coach of the Year Eric Blake led his CCSU squad to a record-breaking ninth NEC title in 2025 with three top-10 finishers, but replacing that veteran trio will be one of the Blue Devils' biggest challenges this season. Junior Lillian Tabellione (Portland, CT/Portland) is the top returning Blue Devil runner from 2025 after she placed 17th and earned an All-Rookie Team nod. Classmate Isabella Jensen (Somers, CT/East Catholic) followed just two spots behind in 19th place.

Longtime Stonehill head coach Karen Boen will look to build upon a campaign that saw the Skyhawks finish fourth at the NEC Championship. Stonehill returns all five of its scoring runners from last year's meet as it pursues the program's second NEC title after interrupting CCSU’s championship run in 2023. Emily Young (Beverly, MA/Beverly) enters her senior season with great momentum after a fifth-place effort and an All-NEC nod a season ago. Sophomore Isabella Galusha (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth) and senior Kellie Harrington (Pittsfield, MA/Pittsfield) placed 12th and 13th last season and earned All-NEC honors as well. Galusha was the meet's second-highest finishing rookie. Junior Mallory Hildreth (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon) and sophomore Jayden Donnelly (Bristol, RI/La Salle Academy) return as well after placing in the top-25.

Wagner and second-year head coach Marvin Azor bring back the reigning NEC individual champion in Rylee Ferretti (Staten Island, NY/New Dorp). The senior claimed conference gold with a stellar run in Tyrone, PA last November, clocking in at 22:19.5 to finish six seconds ahead of the field. Magui Calvo-Jorge (Valencia, Spain/Agora Portals) and Victoria Ann Dziubela (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph by-the-Sea) return as well for the Seahawks. The senior duo placed 22nd and 23rd, respectively, last fall.

Under the tutelage of Michael Williamson, Mercyhurst will aim for another step forward this season after a fifth-place result in 2025, the best in the school’s short tenure in the NEC. Junior Caitlin Dugan (Erie, PA/Cathedral Preparatory) turned in the top finish among Mercyhurst runners at last year's NEC Championship, placing ninth to earn All-NEC honors.

LIU will host the 2026 NEC Women’s Cross Country Championship on October 31 in Brookville, NY. All nine NEC institutions are eligible to participate in the championship.

About The NEC
Now in its 46th season, the NEC is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of nine institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States including New York (#1), Chicago (#3), Boston (#9). Hartford/New Haven (#32) and Syracuse (#88). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 25 sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 17 different NCAA Championships. NEC full member institutions include Central Connecticut, Chicago State, FDU, Le Moyne, LIU, Mercyhurst, New Haven, Stonehill and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league’s official website (www.necsports.com) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, all @NECsports.