The preseason Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) cross country polls came out on Monday and the Augustana men and women found themselves toward the top the standings.
The Augustana men were tabbed as preseason favorites with 118 points and nine first place votes. The men’s team is coming off of their eighth straight NSIC championship and their fifth straight Central Regional title. The Vikings return three All-NSIC performers, including reigning NSIC Newcomer of the Year and the NSIC’s Viking to watch, Jesus Urtusuastegui.
MSU Moorhead comes in at second with 104 points and one first place vote, followed by Minnesota Duluth (96 points), Sioux Falls (93 points) and UMary (87 points). Sioux Falls garnered the other two first place votes.
The Augustana women rank third in the preseason poll with 164 points after finishing fifth at last year’s NSIC Championships and eighth at the Central Regional. The Vikings return four All-NSIC recipients and will receive a major boost with the return of two-time All-American and the NSIC’s Viking to watch, Leah Seivert, who sat out last season as a redshirt.
Reigning NSIC champions, UMary, are listed as favorites in the preseason poll with 196 points and 14 first place votes. Minnesota Duluth received one first place vote and rank second with 180 points. Augustana, Winona State (157 points) and Northern State (134 points) round out the top-five.
