The 2026 Midwest Conference Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll was released Tuesday afternoon and Lake Forest College was listed sixth.

Voting is done by the MWC head women's cross country coaches. Each coach votes for the other nine teams in the league in order of predicted finish. Points are assigned in reverse order of voting (nine points for first, eight for second, etc.). Coaches may not vote for their own teams.

Grinnell College was atop the poll with 75 points and eight first place selections. Cornell College was in the top spot on the other three ballots and was tied with Ripon College for second place in the rankings with 71 points. Lake Forest's 40 points were six fewer than fifth-place Luther College and a dozen ahead of Monmouth College in seventh.

The Lake Forest women placed fifth at each of the last three MWC Championships. They are led by Lettia Hoda and Sophie Graham, who have combined for five all-conference performances during their collegiate cross country careers and finished 14th and 20th at last year's championship meet.

Patrick Austin will begin his fifth season as the Foresters' head coach at Lewis University's Flyer Early Bird on Friday. Lake Forest will also attend regular season meets hosted by Wheaton College, Augustana College, and Beloit College. Beloit will also host the 2026 MWC Championships on October 31 and Augustana the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional two weeks later. The NCAA Division III Championships will be held in Northfield, Minnesota, on November 21.