PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville University women's cross country team is ready to open up the season on the trails next month, having been ranked No. 8 in the Skyline Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll.

The Valiants were recipients of one of the 11 first-place votes up for grabs from the conference's coaching staffs and garnered 49 total points to slot in eighth in the poll. Merchant Marine stands atop the preseason rankings with 90 total points and six first-place votes, just finishing ahead of the 2025 conference champions Sarah Lawrence, who earned 88 points and three first-place votes.

Maritime, the only other program to get a first place vote, rank fourth with 68 total points.

Manhattanville took sixth at the 2025 Skyline Conference Championship and return its top four runners from that meet. Sophomore Sam Delgado (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle), juniors Jennifer Oliveros (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) and Adelina Rodrgiuez and Lilly Savnik (Mastic, N.Y./William Floyd) each cracked the top 40 at the Skyline Championship a year ago, and are joined by sophomore Saage Palmer (Brooklyn, N.Y./Medgar Evers College Preparatory School) who also ran at the meet to round out the returners.

The roster is fleshed out with a pair of incoming freshmen in Amanda Alvarez () and Candy Drayton ().

The first look at the Valiants will come on Sept. 12 at the University of Hartford International. Manhattanville will then compete at the Saint Joseph's Long Island Invitational and the NJIT Highlander Invite ahead of Oct. 25's Skyline Championship meet at Stony Brook.

The full results of the 2026 Skyline Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll is below:
Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
Rank, School, Points (First-place votes)
1. Merchant Marine, 90 (6)    
2. Sarah Lawrence, 88 (3)    
3. Farmingdale State, 78    
4. Maritime, 68 (1)    
5. St. Joseph's-Long Island, 56    
6. Yeshiva, 54    
7. Mount Saint Mary, 50    
8. Manhattanville, 49 (1)    
9. Purchase, 29    
10. St. Joseph's-Brooklyn, 25    
11. Old Westbury,18

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