Both Kansas Wesleyan Women's and Men's Cross Country teams earned a spot in the NAIA Preseason Polls released by the national office on Thursday.
The Coyote women, coming off a 15th place finish at the NAIA National Championship last season and the program's first KCAC Championship since 2013, are ranked No. 18 in the poll.
Wesleyan's men were just outside the Top 25, landing in the receiving votes category.
Taylor (Ind.) was the top ranked team on the women's side earning 557 points and 16 of 20 possible first-place votes in the poll.
The KCAC had two other women's teams recognized in the poll with Saint Mary ranked No. 16 and Evangel receiving votes.
On the men's side, Cumberlands (Ky.) is the top-ranked team in the poll, just edging out defending National Champion Indiana Wesleyan by two points. The Patriots received 542 points and 10 first-place votes while IWU received 540 points and seven first-place votes.
Saint Mary was the only other KCAC team recognized in the men's poll, ranked No. 15.
KWU opens the 2026 cross country season on August 27 at the Terry Masterson Twilight Classic hosted by Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson.
NAIA Top 25 Women's Poll
RANK
INSTITUTION [FIRST-PLACE VOTES]
POINTS
1
Taylor (Ind.) [16]
557
2
Milligan (Tenn.) [1]
533
3
Dordt (Iowa) [2]
532
4
College of Idaho [1]
504
5
Cornerstone (Mich.)
460
6
Marian (Ind.)
452
7
The Master's (Calif.)
449
8
Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
441
9
Indiana Wesleyan
403
10
Southern Oregon
383
11
Cumberlands (Ky.)
363
12
St. Francis (Ill.)
356
13
Benedictine (Kan.)
324
14
Oklahoma City
317
15
Grace (Ind.)
302
16
Saint Mary (Kan.)
286
17
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)
278
18
Kansas Wesleyan
272
19
Carroll (Mont.)
247
20
Eastern Oregon
224
21
Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)
174
22
Aquinas (Mich.)
172
23
Montreat (N.C.)
167
24
Rio Grande (Ohio)
166
25
SCAD (Ga.)
85
Receiving Votes: Mount Mercy (Iowa), Governors State (Ill.), Montana Tech, Missouri Baptist, IU East (Ind.), Saint Francis (Ind.), Morningside (Iowa), Our Lady of the Lake (Texas), Trinity Western (B.C.), William Carey (Miss.), Arizona Christian, Evangel (Mo.), St. Ambrose (Iowa)
NAIA Top 25 Men's Poll
RANK
INSTITUTION [FIRST-PLACE VOTES]
POINTS
1
Cumberlands (Ky.) [10]
542
2
Indiana Wesleyan [7]
540
3
Southern Oregon
522
4
Milligan (Tenn.) [1]
499
5
The Master's (Calif.) [2]
486
6
Corban (Ore.)
436
7
College of Idaho
434
8
Marian (Ind.)
405
9
Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
404
10
Trinity Western (B.C.)
395
11
Taylor (Ind.)
357
12
Madonna (Mich.)
355
13
Eastern Oregon
353
14
Rocky Mountain (Mont.)
345
15
Saint Mary (Kan.)
334
16
Goshen (Ind.)
323
17
Park (Mo.)
280
18
Rio Grande (Ohio)
225
T-19
Carroll (Mont.)
200
T-19
Doane (Neb.)
200
21
Mid-America Christian (Okla.)
164
22
Cornerstone (Mich.)
153
23
Montreat (N.C.)
135
24
St. Francis (Ill.)
123
25
Spring Arbor (Mich.)
117