WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State has improved two spots from seventh to fifth to third at the Lone Star Conference Championships in each of Kelsey Bruce's first three seasons as head coach.

If that trend continues, the Mustangs will be celebrating their eighth league title on October 26th in Kingsville.

However, Midwestern State was picked to finish third in the LSC Preseason Poll of coaches, sports information directors, and selected media as released Thursday by league officials.

MSU juniors Ella Pando and Jadyn Dangerfield were also tabbed LSC Runners to Watch.

Pando was an All-Lone Star Conference performer in 2023, placing 15th at the league championships. The Weatherford, Texas, native was the Mustangs' frontrunner in four of her five meets last season and in seven of 11 meets during her career.

Dangerfield enjoyed a breakout campaign as a sophomore last season, turning in a team countable finish in each of MSU's six competitions.

The Lancaster, Texas, native placed 19th at the Lone Star Conference Championships and claimed her first collegiate win at the Mustang Derby.

The Mustangs boast 10 returning runners from 2023, including senior Nathalia Escontrias; juniors Dangerfield, Pando, Perla Flores, Isabel Hernandez, Hallie Kogler, Lula Nolen, and Mariana Sanchez; and sophomores Jaycee Lyons and Jazira Perez.

The roster is bolstered by freshmen newcomers Bailee Bowers (Holliday HS), Evelyn Daugherty (Nogal, N.M./Capitan HS), Abigail Michaelis (Richardson Pearce HS), Maggie Neal (Krum HS), and Grace Pineda (Saginaw Boswell HS).

West Texas A&M is favored to repeat as LSC champions after 25 first-place votes.

The Lady Buffs are followed by Dallas Baptist (four first-place votes), MSU, St. Edward's, Oklahoma Christian, Angelo State (one first-place vote), Lubbock Christian, Cameron, Western New Mexico, UT Tyler, Texas A&M International, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Eastern New Mexico, UT Permian Basin, and Sul Ross State.

Midwestern State opens the campaign on Friday, September 6 with the Aggie Duels at the Big Green Soccer Complex in Lawton, Oklahoma.

MSU hosts the Mustang Derby on Thursday, September 12 on campus behind the Outdoor Education Center at 7:30 p.m.
 

2024 Lone Star Conference Preseason Women's Cross Country Poll

Place	Team (1st-place votes)	Points
1	West Texas A&M (25)	444
2	Dallas Baptist (4)	416
3	Midwestern State	355
4	St. Edward's	322
5	Oklahoma Christian	318
6	Angelo State (1)	283
7	Lubbock Christian	247
8	Cameron	234
9	Western New Mexico	206
10	UT Tyler	199
11	Texas A&M International	169
12	Texas A&M-Kingsville	168
13	Eastern New Mexico	114
14	UT Permian Basin	84
15	Sul Ross State	41

  

2024 Lone Star Conference Preseason Awards

Preseason Runners to Watch

Student-Athlete	School	Class	Major	Hometown/Previous School
Mary Brown	Angelo State	Sr.	Kinesiology	Georgetown, Texas
Anna Eischen	Angelo State	So.	Management	Rowlett, Texas
Manon Cady	Cameron	Fr.	Sports & Exercise Science	Angers, France
Kaat de Staercke	Cameron	Fr.	Business Administration	Zemst, Belgium
Jenna Howard	Dallas Baptist	Sr.	Elementary Education	Erie, Colo.
Lesli Salas	Dallas Baptist	So.	Commercial Art	San Angelo, Texas
Sylvia Lagat	Eastern New Mexico	Fr.	Biology	Eldoret, Kenya
Elizabeth Lujan-Towles	Eastern New Mexico	Fr.	Visual Art	Chimayo, N.M.
Madelyn Merrell	Lubbock Christian	Sr.	Biology	Idalou, Texas
Chloe Trull	Lubbock Christian	Sr.	Pre-Veterinary	Ropesville, Texas
Jadyn Dangerfield	Midwestern State	Jr.	Computer Science	Lancaster, Texas
Ella Pando	Midwestern State	Jr.	Biology	Weatherford, Texas
Andrea Garcia Gonzalez	Oklahoma Christian	Sr.	Finance	Leon, Spain
Kinley Kite	Oklahoma Christian	Fr.	Early Childhood Education	Norman, Okla.
Mia Rivera	St. Edward's	Jr.	Kinesiology	El Paso, Texas
Jordan Sanders	St. Edward's	Sr.	Kinesiology	Keller, Texas
Alexandra Nava-Elizondo	Sul Ross State	Fr.	Animal Science	Baytown, Texas
Sada Lara	Sul Ross State	Fr.	Kinesiology/Human Performance	O'Donnell, Texas
Mercy Kosgei	Texas A&M International	Fr.	Nursing	Eldoret, Kenya
Maya Espinosa	Texas A&M-Kingsville	Sr.	Business	Baker, Fla.
Ivanova Yanes	Texas A&M-Kingsville	Jr.	Kinesiology	Hollywood, Fla.
Alauna Stackhouse	UT Permian Basin	Gr.	Humanities	Brenham, Texas
Kayla Cepeda	UT Permian Basin	Jr.	Exercise Science	Mission, Texas
Elayna Metzger	UT Tyler	Jr.	Kinesiology	Tyler, Texas
Calista Turner	UT Tyler	Fr.	Economics	Athens, Texas
Elisa Leveel	West Texas A&M	Jr.	Communications	Carquebut, France
Julie LaFare	West Texas A&M	Jr.	Business	Uzes, France
Itzela Darkenwald	Western New Mexico	Sr.	Kinesiology	Conroe, Texas
Aubrey Lozoya	Western New Mexico	Jr.	Zoology	Albuquerque, N.M.