BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Gulf South Conference announced its 2026 Women's Cross Country Newcomers to Watch List on Tuesday, with two Auburn University at Montgomery newcomers earning recognition. Chloe Helms and Emma McGee were each selected to the newcomer list.
The Warhawks were selected to finish sixth in the 2026 GSC Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll, receiving 58 points. Lee claimed the top spot with 98 points, followed by Mississippi Christian with 91 and Alabama Huntsville with 84.
AUM is coming off one of the strongest seasons in program history, finishing sixth at the GSC Championships before recording a program-best 10th-place finish at the NCAA Division II South Regional Championships. The Warhawks scored 303 points at the regional meet, marking the first top-10 finish in program history.
Chloe Helms
Helms, a junior from Eufaula, Alabama, joins the Warhawks after spending her first two collegiate seasons at Faulkner University. She is a two-time First Team All-SSAC selection, 2026 SSAC Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete and 2024 All-Freshman Team honoree.
Helms became the second Faulkner women's cross country runner to qualify for the NAIA Cross Country Championships and the first since the program's reintroduction in 2022. She earned her national championship berth after finishing among the top four individuals not on the winning team at the SSAC Championship.
Helms also holds Faulkner program records in the 5K and 6K and will bring her postseason experience to the Warhawks in 2026.
Emma McGee
McGee, a junior from Evansville, Indiana, returns to the Warhawks after a strong 2025 campaign that earned her CSC Academic All-District, USTFCCCA All-Academic Team and GSC All-Academic Team honors.
McGee closed the cross country season by leading AUM to its program-record 10th-place finish at the NCAA South Regional Championships, placing 44th overall in the 6K with a time of 23:11.60. Earlier in the postseason, she established a personal-best 6K time of 22:35.30 at the GSC Championships, finishing 36th overall.
During the regular season, McGee recorded a pair of top-10 finishes, placing fourth at the Montevallo Falcon Classic and eighth at the UNA Invitational. She also set a personal-best 5K time of 18:46.40 at UNA.
2026 GSC Women's Cross Country Coaches Preseason Poll
1. Lee (8), 98 points
2. Mississippi Christian (3), 91 points
3. UAH, 84 points
4. Union, 71 points
5. Trevecca Nazarene, 60 points
6. AUM, 58 points
7. Christian Brothers, 44 points
8. Montevallo, 42 points
9. West Alabama, 27 points
10. Valdosta State, 19 points
11. Delta State, 11 points
First-place votes in parentheses
2026 GSC Women's Cross Country Runners to Watch
Rose Betts, Fr., UAH
Tamsyn Gibbs, Jr., UAH
Chloe Helms, Jr., AUM
Emma McGee, Jr., AUM
Amira Benmerouk, Fr., Christian Brothers
Phoebe Steel, So., Christian Brothers
Linnett Barrock, Jr., Delta State
Caroline McAlpin, So., Delta State
Lindsey Hogue, So., Delta State
Katie Beam, Sr., Lee
Capucine Cureanu, So., Lee
Ava Sparks, So., Lee
Kinley Harris, Jr., Mississippi Christian
Audrey Mayatte, So., Mississippi Christian
Catherine Wallace, So., Mississippi Christian
Addi Aguayo, Sr., Union
Emma Madding, Jr., Union
Victoria Markham, Sr., Union
Miriam Dominguez-Tellez, Sr., West Alabama
Rita Walker, Sr., West Alabama
First-place votes in parentheses
The women's cross country program begins their 2026 campaign at the Queen City Invite in Charlotte, North Caroline on Friday, September 11, hosted by the University of Queens.
#WeAreAUM
For the latest on AUM athletics, find us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
