KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The University of Tennessee Southern women's cross country team continues to gain national recognition as the Firehawks received votes in the latest NAIA Women's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 Poll released Thursday.
UT Southern earned six votes in the national rating, placing the Firehawks among the programs receiving consideration for the Top 25 after another impressive stretch of performances throughout the 2026 season.
The recognition comes on the heels of a strong showing at the Christian Brothers University Invitational, where the Firehawks finished fourth against a field that included NCAA Division I programs UT Martin and Arkansas State.
Leading the charge has been junior Vera Maisaje, who continues to rewrite the program record book. At the CBU Invitational, Maisaje broke her own UT Southern 6K record for the second consecutive race, clocking 22:14.3 while finishing eighth overall against a field loaded with NCAA Division I competitors.
The Lagos, Nigeria native has earned three consecutive SSAC Runner of the Week honors and has established herself as one of the premier women's runners in the conference. Her recent success includes an individual championship and program-record performance at the Firehawk Invitational, followed by another record-breaking effort in Memphis.
UT Southern has steadily elevated its national profile throughout the fall. The Firehawks earned a historic victory over two-time defending conference champion William Carey at the Southern Showcase, posted several individual personal records at the CBU Invitational, and have consistently competed at a high level against NCAA Division I and Division II opponents.
The Firehawks' depth has also been a strength this season. Alyssa Andrea, Uxue Armas, Lou-Anne Bernard, Claire Deaton, Jessica Needs, and Amelia Worsley have all played significant roles in helping UT Southern remain among the top teams in the SSAC while gaining recognition on the national level.
The latest poll was topped by Dordt (Iowa), followed by College of Idaho, Milligan, Cornerstone, and Indiana Wesleyan. Milligan remained the highest-ranked SSAC institution at No. 3 nationally.
With conference and postseason competition approaching, the Firehawks continue to position themselves as a team on the rise while earning increasing attention from coaches across the NAIA landscape.
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