From 9th to 4th: Allen Women's Cross Country Makes Remarkable Leap at 2026 SIAC Championship
Yellow Jackets Climb Five Spots in Conference Standings as Diosleydis Gutierrez Earns SIAC All-Conference Honors with Third-Place Finish
MACON, Ga. (November 6, 2026) – The Allen University women's cross country team delivered an impressive performance at the 2026 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Women's Cross Country Championship, securing a fourth-place finish and marking another significant milestone in the program's growth since joining the conference in 2020.
The Yellow Jackets made a remarkable five-place improvement from their ninth-place finish in 2025, moving into the conference's top four in just one year. Allen finished with 116 team points, a substantial improvement from the 250 points recorded at last year's championship.
Albany State claimed the conference championship with 22 points, followed by Tuskegee (65) and Spring Hill (108), with Allen finishing fourth among 12 scoring teams.
Gutierrez Leads Allen with Third-Place All-Conference Performance
Highlighting the Yellow Jackets' championship performance was Diosleydis Gutierrez, who delivered an outstanding third-place overall finish in the women's 5K race, crossing the finish line in 20:32.87 to earn SIAC All-Conference honors.
Gutierrez's top-three finish was one of the highlights of the championship and provided Allen with a strong foundation for its fourth-place team finish.
Evelynia Collins followed with an impressive 17th-place finish in 23:21.46, while Tyra Howard placed 22nd in 24:09.15. Jaida Stevens added a 25th-place finish in 24:39.29, giving Allen four runners among the top 25 finishers.
Rounding out the Yellow Jackets' championship performance were Siata Ouattara, who finished 52nd in 28:46.82, and JahMya Hill, who placed 57th in 30:35.26.
A Program on the Rise
Allen's fourth-place finish represents a significant step forward for the women's cross country program. After finishing ninth in the 2025 SIAC Championship with 250 points, the Yellow Jackets improved their standing by five positions and reduced their team score by 134 points in 2026.
The improvement reflects the continued development of a program working to establish itself among the SIAC's top competitors.
Since joining the conference in 2020, Allen University has continued building its cross country program, and this year's championship performance demonstrates the progress being made through the dedication, hard work, and determination of its student-athletes and coaching staff.
With four runners finishing among the top 25 and an All-Conference performer leading the way, the Yellow Jackets have established a strong foundation for continued success.
Allen University Athletics congratulates the women's cross country team and coaching staff on their outstanding championship performance and recognizes Diosleydis Gutierrez for earning SIAC All-Conference honors.
