YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | The Mountain Lions women's cross country team has been selected to finish eighth in the 2025 Conference Carolinas Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll. The Mountain Lions earned 125 points in voting conducted by league head coaches, a three-spot rise from their 2024 preseason position, continuing a steady upward trajectory under Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Matt Logan. 

The Mountain Lions return their full top seven from a 2024 season that showcased resilience and progress. After opening the year ranked 11th in the preseason poll, Young Harris placed ninth at the Conference Carolinas Championship and showed significant improvement on the same course where they had competed just weeks earlier. Freshman Julia Hargrove led the way with a 6k time of 25:30.7, followed by fellow freshman Natalie Payne at 26:14.7, helping the team post a season-best average of 27:09. 

Hargrove and Payne each set personal bests across multiple distances during the season, with Hargrove nearly breaking into the program's all-time top 10 in the 5k at the Live in Louisville Classic and Payne finishing with a strong showing at the NCAA Southeast Regional. Both return with confidence and high expectations for 2025. Veterans Caroline Bass and Chesney Johnson also return after strong off-season's and will play key leadership roles on a young but deep roster. 

Coach Logan noted the team's growth and potential for a breakout season. "This group has developed into a true team," said Logan. "We've built depth and consistency, and now it's about turning that into results when it matters most." Hargrove added, "We have more to prove being new to Conference Carolinas, and we have the numbers to do it." Payne echoed that sentiment, saying, "We have a lot of people to prove wrong about us, and I think we're going to give it everything we have." 

The 2025 schedule mirrors the competitive standard of the men's program, starting with the Bruins XC Night Classic at Bob Jones University and followed by top-level meets including the Southern Showcase in Huntsville, the Brevard XC Classic in North Carolina, and the Spartan Classic in Kernersville, the site of the 2025 Conference Carolinas Championship on October 24. The regular season wraps with the Royals Challenge in Charlotte, with the NCAA Southeast Region Championships to follow in Charlotte on November 8. 

With strong leadership, a full returning lineup, and growing expectations within the league, the Mountain Lions are well-positioned for another leap forward in 2025 as they continue to build their identity in Conference Carolinas competition.