LINK TO NSIC PRESEASON POLL
MINOT, N.D. – With the start to the cross-country season quickly approaching, the NSIC announced its NSIC Preseason Men's Cross Country Coaches Poll and Preseason Athlete of the Year on Monday.
The Minot State cross country team was picked as an underdog this season, earning 31 points and tying with newcomer Jamestown for 12
th in the preseason league rankings.
"I'm excited to see this group take the next step together!" Minot State's 3
rd-year head coach
Steven Schultz said. "I saw some really good things at the end of the track season from the guys we expect to be in our top seven; now these men just need to all put it together."
While Minot State was picked 12
th, 5-time defending league champion Augustana was a heavy favorite to win another NSIC title with 165 points, including 10 first-place votes.
Minnesota State Moorhead was picked second with 156 points and the other 4 first-place votes and is led by NSIC Preseason Athlete of the Year Chase Hoechst, a redshirt sophomore who was the NSIC Newcomer of the Year last fall.
As for the Beavers, junior
Jake Jenkins was highlighted as the Athlete to Watch for Minot State this fall. Jenkins finished 94
th at the 2024 NSIC Cross Country Championships in a collegiate-best time of 26 minutes, 30.3 seconds on the 8-kilometer championship course.
"Jake has shown great consistency with his training and has put together a great summer of mileage so far," Schultz said. "I think he has put himself in a great position to take a big step forward in his performances this fall."
Rounding out the NSIC Preseason poll, Mary was picked third with 144 points, Minnesota State, Mankato was picked fourth with 128 points, Minnesota Duluth was picked fifth with 125 points, Sioux Falls was picked sixth with 102 points, Winona State was picked seventh with 101 points, Concordia, St. Paul was picked eighth with 81 points, Northern State was picked ninth with 76 points, Wayne State was picked 10
th with 68 points, Minnesota Crookston was picked 11
th with 45 points, Jamestown and Minot State tied for 12
th in the poll with 31 points each, and Southwest Minnesota State was picked 14
th with 21 points.
Minot State's men's cross-country team opens the 2025 season racing at the Marauders Invitational on September 5 at the McDowell Dam in Bismarck, North Dakota.
2025 NSIC Preseason Men's Cross Country Coaches' Poll
| RANK |
TEAM (1st-place votes) |
Points |
| 1 |
Augustana (10) |
165 |
| 2 |
Minnesota State Moorhead (4) |
156 |
| 3 |
Mary |
144 |
| 4 |
Minnesota State, Mankato |
128 |
| 5 |
Minnesota Duluth |
125 |
| 6 |
Sioux Falls |
102 |
| 7 |
Winona State |
101 |
| 8 |
Concordia, St. Paul |
81 |
| 9 |
Northern State |
76 |
| 10 |
Wayne State |
68 |
| 11 |
Minnesota Crookston |
45 |
| t12 |
Jamestown |
31 |
| t12 |
Minot State |
31 |
| 14 |
Southwest Minnesota State |
21 |
