CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) announced the 2021 preseason women's cross-country poll with the Panthers pegged the favorite to repeat as HCAC Champions.
 
After claiming the top spot in the spring of 2021, Hanover was voted the favorite to repeat with 94 points and six first place nods. Manchester and Rose-Hulman finished tied for second with 88 points and two first place votes while Bluffton and Franklin rounded out the top five, finishing tied for fourth with 58 points.
 
Hanover will look to a strong core in 2021 including four student-athletes who were named HCAC athletes to watch.
 
Senior Brianna Medcalf (Central, Ind.), Sawyer Osmun (Fishers, Ind.), junior Leah Anders (Rising Sun, Ind.), and sophomore Amberleigh Sorensen (Yorktown, Ind.).
 
The Panthers are set to open the 2021 fall campaign on Saturday, Sept. 4 at the Franklin Grizzly Invitational.