NEWBERRY, S.C. – Junior Kwamia Russell and sophomore Olivia Hare have been named to the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Women's Cross Country Players to Watch list for the upcoming 2025 season.

Russell, a junior leader for the Wolves, returns after anchoring the team throughout the 2024 cross country campaign. At the 2024 SAC Cross Country Championships on October 26, she completed the 6K course in 27:48.1, placing 80th in a highly competitive field. Hare, now in her sophomore season, gained valuable postseason experience on the track at the Benson/Hodge Memorial Invitational on April 18, 2025, where she competed in the 800m final, recording a time of 2:30.01 to place 17th. 

The Wolves open their 2025 campaign on Saturday, August 29, at the CSC Buc Open hosted by Bob Jones Univ. A full schedule and meet information are available at newberrywolves.com

The Wolves were picked to finish 11^th out of twelve in the SAC Preseason Coaches' Poll:
 
2025 SAC Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll 
 
Rank School (First-Place Votes) Points 
1 Wingate (11)                                              110
2 Catawba (1)                                              98
3t Lincoln Memorial                                     86 
3t Anderson                                                86
5 Lenoir-Rhyne                                          67
6 Carson-Newman                                     58
7 Emory & Henry                                        47                                           
8 Mars Hill                                                   44
9 UVA Wise                                                 30
10 Tusculum                                               18
11 Newberry                                               16
12 Coker                                                        12