KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Coming off a fifth-place finish at the 2025 PSAC Cross Country Championships, Kutztown women's cross country enters the 2026 season looking to build on last year's success and climb the conference standings.

The Golden Bears return several key contributors from last season, led by first team All-PSAC selection Maura Lenhart (Center Valley, Pa./Southern Lehigh). Lenhart finished 10th at the PSAC Championships before placing 11th at the NCAA Atlantic Regionals. Gabby Keith (Reading, Pa./Exeter) also returns after earning second team All-PSAC honors with a 24th-place finish at the conference championship.

Olivia Solomon (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy), Faith Belote (Easton, Pa./Easton) and Lizzie Brown (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan) round out a returning group that consistently produced top-15 finishes throughout the 2025 campaign, giving Kutztown a strong foundation of experienced runners heading into the new season.

The Maroon and Gold collected a pair of first-place finishes last fall, winning the West Chester Opener and the DII/DIII Challenge. The Golden Bears also finished fifth at the NCAA Atlantic Regionals, continuing their postseason success and setting the stage for another competitive campaign in 2026.

In the 2026 PSAC preseason poll, Kutztown was selected to finish sixth. East Stroudsburg claimed the top spot after receiving 12 first-place votes. With a core group of experienced runners returning, the Golden Bears will look to surpass their preseason projection and make another push toward the top of the conference.

Head coach Ray Hoffman enters his 29th season at the helm of the Golden Bears, continuing a tenure that has helped establish Kutztown as a consistent presence in the PSAC.

Kutztown opens the 2026 season at the West Chester Opener in Coatesville, Pa. on Friday, Sep. 4. The Golden Bears will compete in four regular-season meets before returning to the PSAC Cross Country Championships in Bloomsburg, Pa., on Saturday, Nov. 7.