CANYON, TX- The Cross Country Lady Buffs were voted to finish second in the Lone Star Conference preseason rankings according to the LSC preseason polling by the head coaches, sports information directors and select media released today by the conference. 
 
West Texas A&M received nine first-place votes resulting in 450 points to be listed as finishing in second this season. Dallas Baptist received 21 of the 31 possible votes and outpaced the Lady Buffs by only ten points for a first-place pick. 
 
West Texas A&M senior Eleonora Curtabbi is the top returning competitor in the LSC, placing runner-up in the Division II South Central Regional last season between finishing third at the conference championships and sixth at the Division II national meet. Junior Betty Bajika, another Top 10 finisher at the 2022 LSC Championships were listed as LSC Runners to Watch for the 2023 season along with Curtabbi.  
 
Lone Star Conference 2023 women's cross country seasons get underway the September 1 weekend. The Lone Star Conference Championships are scheduled Saturday, October 21 hosted by Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, N.M. The NCAA Division II South Central Regionals are hosted by LSC member Lubbock Christian on November 4 at the LCU Cross Country Course. The Division II national final will be in Joplin, Mo., November 18.
 
COMING UP
 
The Buffs and Lady Buffs will open their 2023 season at the Big Country Festival in Abilene on Sept 1. This will be their second year in a row to compete in this race while last year the Lady Buffs took second place as a team.