GRAND FORKS, N.D. - The University of North Dakota men's cross country team is ranked fifth in the 2011 Great West Conference cross country preseason coaches poll, released earlier today.
UND returns seven runners from last year's team that placed sixth at the conference championship, including senior Tyler Rose (Brainerd, Minn.). Another senior, Adam Stainiger (Chisholm, Minn.), will redshirt the 2011 season.
Two-time defending champion Utah Valley was the unanimous choice to win the Great West, garnering all seven first-place votes and 49 points. Second-ranked Seattle, third-ranked Texas-Pan American, and fourth-ranked Houston Baptist rounded out the top five.
UND has already competed in a pair of meets this season and is back in action tomorrow at the University of Nebraska's Woody Greeno Invitational.
2011 GWC Preseason Poll
1. Utah Valley (7), 49 pts.
2. Seattle, 40 pts.
3. Texas-Pan American, 33 pts.
4. Houston Baptist, 29 pts.
5. North Dakota, 24 pts.
6. NJIT, 13 pts.
7. Chicago State, 8 pts.
