SAN BRUNO, Calif.- Portland Pilots Women's Cross Country secured first pick in the 2026 WCC Preseason Coaches Poll, the last time being in 2023. Megan Crum, Viola Paoletti and Latham West made the 2026 Preseason Team.
Sophomore runner Megan Crum led her team to a fifth-place finish at the 2025 WCC Championships and a 23rd team finish at the NCAA West Regionals. Crum finished 11th overall at the WCC Championships, making All-WCC Second Team with a 6K time of 20:43.32. She had a 78th place finish at West Regionals and finished the 6K in 21:16.5. Crum made All-WCC Honorable Mention in 2025 and PR-ed at the Linfield George Oja Invite, recording a time of 20:23.2.
Viola Paoletti is an incoming freshman from Italy. Paoletti is currently ranked No. 554 in the world for the 5,000m according to World Athletics, putting down a time of 16:19.83 for the Italian U20 team. Paoletti has ran multiple races wearing Italian colors, including when she received gold at the 2022 European Youth Olympic Festival for the 3,000m.
Latham West is another incoming freshman from Washington. West went to Bonney Lake High School where she finished third in the 2025 WIAA State XC Championships and took the state title in track for the 1,600m and 3,200m races. West has a personal best of 17:28.1 in the 5K and also ran for the West Seattle Road Runners, a competitive youth club.
Portland Women's Cross Country begins their season at the Linfield Harrier Classic hosted by the Linfield Wildcats. The race will take place at Joe Dancer Park in McMinnville, Ore. on Friday, Sept. 4. Race times to follow. Check PortlandPilots.com for live results.
See below for the full preseason poll and team.
2026 West Coast Conference Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
Team (first-place votes) points
1. Portland (3) 59
2. San Francisco (5) 58
3. Santa Clara 49
4. Saint Mary's (1) 46
5. San Diego 30
6. LMU 26
7. Pepperdine 25
8. Pacific 19
9. Seattle U 12
2026 West Coast Conference Women's Cross Country Preseason Team
Milaina Almonte, Santa Clara
Clare Boneau, San Diego
Anna Buettner, San Francisco
Faustine Chaboche, San Francisco
Elizabeth Crawford, Pepperdine
Megan Crum, Portland
Petra Helebrantova, San Francisco
Poppy Martin, San Francisco
Viola Paoletti, Portland
Latham West, Portland
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