Lady Commodores climb to #12 National ranking after back-to-back Invitational wins

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | GC ATHLETICS

Thursday, October 16, 2025

 

PANAMA CITY, Fla.—The Gulf Coast State College Lady Commodores Women's Cross Country team has broken into the national rankings, earning the No. 12 spot in the recently released NJCAA Division II Women's Cross Country Coaches' Poll (Week 3).

 

After back-to-back strong performances, including team victories at both the Gulf Coast State Invite and the Florida Gateway Invite, the Lady Commodores jumped from unranked in Week 2 to 12th in the nation. The team's success has been fueled by a mix of steady improvement, depth, and leadership from freshman standout Lauren Logue.

 

Logue has been a consistent front-runner for Gulf Coast St., capturing first place at the Gulf Coast State Invite and finishing second overall at the Florida Gateway Invite.

 

At the Florida Gateway Invite, Logue once again led the Commodores' pack with a time of 19:57.3 to secure second place. Adriana Cruz-Betancourth followed close behind, finishing seventh in 20:48.0, while Hannah Gadberry crossed the line in 10th at 21:02.9—giving Gulf Coast three runners in the top 10. Rounding out the scoring five were Hannah Da Costa (22:01.5) and Madison McMillan (22:04.9), sealing another strong team finish.

 

Earlier at the Gulf Coast State Invite, Logue took first place with a time of 20:29.26, leading a dominant team performance. Gadberry finished third (21:29.07), Da Costa claimed fourth (22:00.49), and Cruz-Betancourth added a sixth-place finish (22:15.83). McMillan rounded out the scoring with a 10th-place effort in 22:46.14, helping Gulf Coast secure the team title.

 

With two wins under their belt and a national ranking to their name, the Lady Commodores now turn their focus to the FCSAA DII Cross Country Championship, set for October 24 at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee—a venue known for its fast course and championship-caliber competition.