MOUNT VERNON – Cornell's women took runner-up at the 2025 Midwest Conference Cross Country Championships and posted the program's lowest point total in 38 years.
 
Despite graduating three all-conference runners from that regionally-ranked squad, MWC coaches firmly believe Cornell will be back in team title contention this fall. 
 
Coach Jerry Frawley's Rams are picked second in the MWC Preseason Coaches' Poll with 71 points and three first-place votes. Ripon also received 71 points.
 
Defending champion Grinnell is the favorite with 75 points and seven first-place tallies.
 
"It's exciting," said Frawley, entering his sixth season heading the Rams. "We're really proud of the culture we built the past few years. We made a big jump in the team standings last year. We have the personnel to be back."
 
The Rams are ranked No. 7 in the Midwest Region USTFCCCA Preseason Poll, one spot behind Grinnell. Ripon is No. 6 in the North Region.  
 
Leading the way is junior Lidia Dahlman, the defending MWC individual champion who became Cornell's first NCAA qualifier since 2017. Dahlman broke the MWC Championships record (21:00) and placed ninth at regionals to secure a berth to the 2025 NCAA Championships.
 
"Lidia is our first returning national qualifier in a while (since 2016). She wants to get back and do really well," Frawley said. "The experience last year gave her a lot of confidence, along with the rest of her teammates."
 
Junior Carley Seeley also earned a spot on the all-conference podium (17th place) last season. Junior Milar Little and senior Zoe Peesel finished 30th and 31st, respectively, at conference. Emerging sophomore Gretchyn Fairlie was 39th at conference.
 
"We have a really solid returning Top 5," Frawley said. "They all have the potential to be all-conference."
 
The Rams have several other returners capable of joining the mix. Seniors Murray Page, Sophie Stumbo, Ashley Olvera, junior Zoe Scott and sophomores Josie Schenk and Geneva Fairlie all cracked the top 60 at conference.
 
The season gets underway Friday with the Mustang Gallop at 6:30 p.m. at Seminole Valley Park in Cedar Rapids. The Rams have meets in Warrenville, Ill. (Sept. 19), Northfield, Minn. (Oct. 3) and Rock Island, Ill. (Oct. 17) before the MWC Championships Oct. 31 in Beloit, Wis.
 
The Rams return to Rock Island, Ill., for the Midwest Region Championships Nov. 14, and could potentially go back to Northfield, Minn., for the NCAA Championships Nov. 21.
 
"We're excited about our schedule," Frawley said. "We get to preview the NCAA meet course at Carleton. We get to run on courses our returners have all raced before."