DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia (UNG) women's cross country team was picked to finish third in the 2025 Peach Belt Conference preseason poll the league office announced Monday morning.

Flagler received nine first place votes to finish atop the poll while Augusta earned one first-place vote and was picked second. Georgia College, Lander and Clayton State followed UNG respectively in the voting.

Monday's announcement marked the Nighthawks' ninth consecutive year being picked to finish top three in the PBC preseason poll. It stands to reason as they have finished third place or better in 11 consecutive seasons. 

Last year UNG finished in third place out of 10 teams at the 2024 Peach Belt Conference Championship, an event the program hosted at the UNG Cross Country Course in Gainesville, Ga.

The Nighthawks also boasted two PBC Runner of the Year winners, three Freshman of the Year recipients and 23 all-conference selections in the last six seasons. 

UNG will look to climb the conference mountain top for the first time since 2017 this season. It all begins with the first meet at the Bruins XC Night Classic in Greenville, S.C. on Friday, Sep. 5.