The Northwestern Oklahoma State women's cross-country team will enter the season ranked 10th in the Great American Conference Pre-season Coaches Poll. The Rangers received 29 votes along with Ouachita Baptist, 16 more than Arkansas-Monticello.

Newly accepted conference member Oklahoma Baptist enters the season as the favorite after receiving seven of the first-place votes. East Central and Harding received four and one first-place votes and will enter the year ranked second and third respectively.

New head coach Jill Lancaster will welcome a host of new runners to the program that give her a solid chance to move up the conference rankings after a 10th place finish by the Rangers at the 2016 GAC Championship Meet. Renee Contreras set a new school record with a time of 19:20.33 at the event, a record with the combination of her departure and the arrival of multiple talented runners could be in jeopardy early and often.

The Rangers will get their season underway on Sept. 2 in Edmond at the UCO Land Run and will then compete in four more meets before ending their season at the Great American Conference Championship Meet in Magnolia, Arkansas.