The Emory University women’s cross country team is striding into the 2025–26 season following a strong 2024–25 season. Last year, the Eagles placed seventh at the NCAA Division III National Championships, tying for the best finish in program record. The team has carried last year’s success into this 2025-26 season, opening the season with two third-place finishes at the Kennesaw State Stan Sims Invitational on Aug. 29 and the Queen City Invite on Sept. 12. At both the Paul Short Run and the Georgia Tech Invitational on Oct. 3, the team took sixth place.
Most recently, the team showcased their efforts at the Chattanooga Intercollegiate meet, taking first place and holding nine of the top 10 spots on the leaderboard. Junior Cameron Gupta finished in first with a time of 22:15.48, sophomore Davis Johnson finished in second with a time of 22:23.31 and senior Madison Tiaffay finished in third with a time of 22:27.60.
Freshman Ayla Cooke, who led the team in the 5K at the Stan Sims and Queen City invitationals with an 11th and 26th place finish, respectively, said long training weeks are physically difficult, but the positive environment her and her teammates try to maintain keeps the team motivated.
“Every morning, we all greet each other and are all very excited to see one another,” Cooke said. “Even on the hard days, you look forward to being with everyone, and the conversations we all have can be really motivating and excite each other to keep going.”
Cooke added that the team has a shared motto: “Embrace the suck.” She explained that the team’s workouts are specifically designed to emulate the hardest parts of the race so that they know what they are able to do before a competition.
“When you’re able to be in a hard workout and push yourself mentally, that is another way of training, in addition to just the physical aspect,” Cooke said. “Knowing that you're capable of doing even the hardest parts can really help you.”
Junior Elizabeth Csikai said the team has gotten off to a fast start by maintaining a positive team dynamic, especially during difficult training sessions.
“We’re always pushing and encouraging each other to stick together in a pack when doing tough workouts,” Csikai said. “Knowing that everyone is there to work hard and improve pushes us.”
In the upcoming weeks, the team will prepare for the rigorous and intense meets ahead. On Nov. 1, the team will participate in the University Athletic Association Championships in Edwardsville, Ill. The next week, on Nov. 15, the Eagles will compete at the NCAA South Region Championships before heading to the NCAA Championships on Nov. 22, where the team will have the opportunity to surpass their successful finishes from last season.
Freshman Ashley Clyman said the team environment has shifted from lighthearted to become more serious as the team gets closer to nationals.
“Currently, everyone is very focused with the ‘eye on the prize’ mentality,” Clyman said. “Although the team still jokes around and fosters a ton of positivity, we know when to get serious and lock in.”
Similarly, Cooke said that during the preseason, the goals the team had for each meet seemed a lot further away, but now they are a lot more in the present. However, she said the team is still preserving their encouraging team atmosphere.
“Everything's upcoming, so it's really focusing on sharpening our skills for what's to come,” Cooke said. “It pushes us knowing that you are all cheering for one another and so you’re never alone. You always have everyone else by your side.”
