ODESSA, Texas (August 29, 2025) – The University of Texas Permian Basin women's cross country team had two student-athletes named to the 2025 Lone Star Conference Runners to Watch list. Gabrielle Garcia (Legacy High School) and Celine Maldonado (Midland High School) are both freshman from Midland, Texas, who are majoring in Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies at UTPB.

Garcia has a personal best of 20:50 in the 5K and also set a personal record of 12:56 in the 3,200 meter run on the track.

"Gabrielle has made an immediate impact since joining us," said UTPB Head Coach Melanie Ramirez. "Gabrielle's consistency, competitive drive, and commitment to improvement have already elevated the standards of our team and established her as a key piece of our program's future."

Maldonado recently ran a personal best of 21:43 in the 5K.

"Celine brings such positive energy to the team and shows incredible hard work and dedication to the program," added Coach Ramirez.

In addition, in the LSC preseason poll, West Texas A&M was predicted to win its third consecutive Lone Star Conference women's cross country championship. West Texas A&M, which has won four conference title overall (also 2012 and 2013), collected 30 of the 32 possible first place votes and 510 points. The Buffs were the NCAA Division II National Runner-Up last year – the best finish in program history – and fifth at the South Central Regional.

DBU is the second-place conference pick with 472 points and the final two first-place votes. The Patriots won three straight LSC titles from 2020-2022 and were the league runner-up the last two years.

Seven-time LSC champion Midwestern State (the most recent title coming in 2018) is the third-place choice with 424 points. Oklahoma Christian (391 points) and St. Edward's (376 points) round out the top 5.

Texas A&M-Kingsville, which won the league crown in 1986, is the sixth-place pick with 325 points. Cameron and UT Tyler are tied for the seventh spot with 308 points. Six-time LSC champion Angelo State is picked ninth with 240 points, followed by 2019 conference champion Lubbock Christian (224 points) to complete the top 10.

Texas A&M International is selected 11th with 200 points, followed by Western New Mexico (197 points), new league member UT Dallas (134 points), Eastern New Mexico (104 points), UT Permian Basin (101 points) and Sul Ross State (38 points) to finish out the poll.

The preseason poll is voted on by LSC head coaches and sports information directors, while the runners to watch are nominated by their member institution.

The LSC women's cross country season begins as early as September 4. To see the league schedule, click here. The LSC Cross Country Championships are scheduled for October 24 at AP Ranch in Fort Worth, Texas. The event will be hosted by DBU. The NCAA Division II South Central Regional is scheduled for November 8 at Walking Stick Golf Club in Pueblo, Colorado. The NCAA Division II National Championship is scheduled for November 22 at Wayne E. Dannehl National Cross Country Course in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The Falcons will kick the season off on Friday, September 12, at the Texas Tech Open.