NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Bethany College men's and women's cross country teams have been picked to finish eleventh and twelfth in the 2025 Presidents' Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, respectively.
After being picked eleventh last season, the Bison's women's team sits at twelfth with 19 points. The defending PAC Champion Allegheny (Pa.) College received the most points with 105 and drew four first-place votes. Grove City (Pa.) College also received three first-place votes with 101 points as did Geneva (Pa.) College with four first-place votes and 97 points. Saint Vincent (Pa.) College received the last first-place vote and totaled 96 points just ahead of Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) College at fifth place with 93 points.
The men's team was picked eleventh for the second straight season with 20 points. Geneva was the favorite with 112 points and five first-place votes followed by Grove City with 98 points and one first-place vote. The third-place Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio) received three first-place votes and finished with 96 points with Allegheny just behind with 94 points and two first-place votes. Washington & Jefferson rounds out the top five with 87 points while Saint Vincent received the last first-place vote and sits at sixth with 56 points.
Academic All-PAC junior
Mary Tracey (Clarksburg, W.Va./Liberty) and freshman
Juan Colon (Lancaster, Pa./McCaskey) were named to the PAC Runners to Watch list ahead of the 2025 season.
Second-year head coach
Jordan Johnson returns two key pieces of the women's team including an Academic All-PAC selection from last year's team that finished eleventh at the PAC Championships. Meanwhile, the men's team will have a completely new look from last year's team that finished tenth at the PAC Championships.
2025 PAC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
School - Points (First Place Votes)
1. Allegheny - 105 (4)
2. Grove City - 101 (3)
3. Geneva - 97 (4)
4. Saint Vincent - 96 (1)
5. Washington & Jefferson - 93
6. Franciscan - 77
7. Waynesburg - 56
8. Hiram - 47
9. Westminster - 45
10. Chatham - 36
11. Thiel - 20
12. Bethany - 19
2025 PAC Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll
School - Points (First Place Votes)
1. Geneva - 112 (5)
2. Grove City - 98 (1)
3. Franciscan - 96 (3)
4. Allegheny - 94 (2)
5. Washington & Jefferson - 87
6. Saint Vincent - 85 (1)
7. Waynesburg - 56
8. Hiram - 49
9. Westminster - 47
10. Chatham - 29
11. Bethany - 20
12. Thiel - 19
The Bison open the 2025 season on Friday, August 29 as they travel to Youngwood, Pennsylvania to compete in the 15th Annual Wolfpack Invitational hosted by Westmoreland County Community College.
