ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Webster University women's cross country team has been picked to finish second in the 2026 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) preseason poll, as announced by the conference.
The Gorloks received 42 points and one first place vote in the preseason voting, tying Lyon College for second place. Greenville University was picked as the preseason favorite with 64 points and eight first-place votes.
Webster returns a strong group of runners led by junior Violet Hill, who earned Second Team All-SLIAC honors in 2025 and enters the season as a member of the 2026 SLIAC Watch List. Juniors Brie Inman and Lydia Imboden also return to provide additional experience to the Gorloks' lineup.
Head Coach Kyle Robinson enters his fourth season leading the Webster men's and women's cross country programs. Robinson has helped develop a strong distance-running group during his time with the Gorloks, including multiple All-Conference performances and numerous personal-best performances.
The Gorloks will also welcome six newcomers to the program in 2026. The incoming class includes freshmen Selene Ahlersmeyer (Cor Jesu Academy), Zoe Click (Pattonville HS) and Ayanna Lyons (Oakville HS), along with sophomores Brooklynn Leeper (Eureka HS) and Marissa Usher (Maplewood-Richmond Heights HS), and senior Eman Elsayed, who attended secondary school in Saudi Arabia.
Webster will open the 2026 season at the Webster Opener at Buder Park North in St. Louis before competing in several meets throughout September and October. The Gorloks will then compete in the SLIAC Championships before advancing into the NCAA postseason.
