Macon, Ga. – For the second time this season, the University of North Georgia (UNG) women's cross country team posted a first-place finish, claiming the team title at the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Preview Meet on Friday evening. 

With victories in Macon on Friday and at the Young Harris Cross Country Opener to begin the season, the Nighthawks have already collected a pair of wins through the first three meets of the 2026 campaign. The victory also marks the first season since 2022 in which North Georgia has posted multiple first-place finishes in the same year. 

Four Nighthawks finished inside the top 10 on Friday, culminating in a dominant team performance for UNG. 

Allie Wardle continues to shine for the Nighthawks, racing to the top of the PBC Preview Meet as the individual champion with a 5K time of 19:35.34, nearly 46 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. The graduate student from Snellville, Ga., has now finished first in both races she has competed in this season and shaved 49 seconds off her first 5K time. 

For the second time this season, Tessie Braman finished inside the top 10, placing sixth with a time of 20:49.35. 

Harleigh Smith dashed to a ninth-place finish with a time of 20:57.95, and Aubrey Dishman rounded out the Nighthawks' top-10 performances at 21:00.57. Dishman has now finished inside the top 10 in all three races this season. 

Alex Allen finished just outside the top 10, crossing the finish line in a career-best 11th place with a time of 21:44.49. 

Natalie Long clocked in at 23rd with a time of 23:40.65, while Emily Baars rounded out the Nighthawks' standout day with a 26th-place finish in 24:43.11. 

The Nighthawks will look to build upon a strong first three races of the 2026 season when they return to action at the Georgia Tech Cross Country Invitational on Friday, Oct. 2, at 9:20 a.m.