ATLANTA, Ga. (August 28, 2025) – The Asbury University women’s cross country team has been voted the top pick in the 2025 Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) Women’s Cross Country Preseason Poll. The Eagles, who collected six first-place votes and 48 total points, were selected by the league’s eight head coaches after a historic inaugural season in which they captured the 2024 CCS championship—the first league title across all Asbury programs.
Led by reigning CCS Coach of the Year Randy Crist, Asbury returns a strong core from last season’s title run. Junior Bailey Gassman, the runner-up at the 2024 CCS Championship, is back to lead the pack alongside sophomore Emma Groff, who posted a career-best performance with a sixth-place finish at the league meet. The Eagles also advanced seven runners to the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Region Championship, continuing their rapid rise on the national stage.
Covenant earned the No. 2 spot in the poll with 44 points, including two first-place votes. The Scots placed second at last year’s CCS Championship with 61 points before closing the season with a 16th-place team finish at the NCAA South Region meet. Junior Emerson Tillery, who earned a top-three individual finish at the CCS Championship and placed inside the top 50 at regionals, returns to lead Covenant in 2025.
Piedmont checks in at No. 3 in the preseason poll with 36 points. The Lions finished third at last year’s championship but celebrated a standout individual performance as junior Skyler Seeber captured the CCS individual crown by more than 30 seconds. It marked Piedmont’s second individual title in three years. The Lions also secured an 18th-place team finish at the South Region meet and look to stay competitive under new leadership this fall.
Maryville holds the No. 4 ranking with 28 points after finishing fifth at last year’s CCS Championship. The Scots turned in a historic performance at the NCAA South Region meet with two runners breaking the 26-minute barrier to place in the top 100. Sophomore Megan Shinn, the 2024 CCS Rookie of the Year and a fourth-place finisher at the league meet, will be key to Maryville’s success in 2025.
Agnes Scott rounds out the top five with 24 points. The Scotties finished fourth at last year’s CCS Championship with 96 points and capped the season with a program-best 20th-place finish at the NCAA South Region meet. Agnes Scott continues to trend upward as it aims to stay in contention this fall.
Belhaven (22 points), Huntingdon (13), and LaGrange (9) complete this year’s preseason poll.
2025 CCS WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL
| Ranking |
School |
Points |
| 1 |
Asbury University |
48 points (6) |
| 2 |
Covenant College |
44 points (2) |
| 3 |
Piedmont University |
36 points |
| 4 |
Maryville College |
28 points |
| 5 |
Agnes Scott College |
24 points |
| 6 |
Belhaven University |
22 points |
| 7 |
Huntingdon College |
13 points |
| 8 |
LaGrange College |
9 points |
First-place votes in parenthesis.
ABOUT THE COLLEGIATE CONFERENCE OF THE SOUTH (CCS)
The CCS is an NCAA Division III athletic conference that began play during the 2022-23 academic year. The conference features nine member institutions (Agnes Scott College, Asbury University, Belhaven University, Covenant College, Huntingdon College, LaGrange College, Maryville College, Piedmont University, and Wesleyan College) and sponsors championships across 14 sports. In addition to sharing the member institutions' geographic identity, the name 'Collegiate Conference of the South' is indicative of a shared commitment to academic excellence, which is commensurate with the NCAA Division III philosophy.
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