LINK TO NSIC COACHES' POLL
MINOT, N.D. – Coming off a strong finish as host to the NSIC Championships last fall, the Minot State women were voted by the league's coaches to again be a powerful program this fall.
The Minot State women were picked seventh in the NSIC Preseason Women's Cross Country Coaches' Poll released today. The Beavers finished 7
th in the NSIC at last fall's NSIC Championship.
"I am excited to see the growth of these women year over year," Minot State's head coach
Steven Schultz said. "It will also be fun to see who can step up to round out our squad as we get later in the season."
While the Beavers were picked seventh, Augustana was a heavy favorite to win the NSIC Championship, earning 217 points, which included 10 first-place votes. Winona State was picked second with 202 points and 3 first-place votes, Mary was picked third with 199 points and 1 first-place vote, and Minnesota State, Mankato was picked fourth with 193 points and 2 first-place votes.
Winona State's Sophia Taarud was named the Preseason Athlete of the Year, as well. A graduate student, Taarud was an NCAA All-American last fall as she finished 22
nd in the nation.
As for the Beavers, junior
Bailey Wride was named Minot State's Athlete to Watch this fall. A two-time NSIC Indoor Track and Field Champion, Wride finished 24
th last fall at the NSIC Championship in 22 minutes, 4.6 seconds on the 6-kilometer course.
"Bailey took a huge step forward from her freshman year to sophomore year last fall at the cross-country distances," Schultz said. "I am fully confident that she is ready to take another step this fall to compete with the best athletes in our conference."
Bailey and the rest of the Minot State women's cross-country team open the 2025 season racing at the Marauders Invitational on September 5 at the McDowell Dam in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Rounding out the NSIC preseason poll, Minnesota Duluth was picked to finish fifth with 171 points, Sioux Falls was picked sixth with 146 points, Minot State was picked seventh with 131 points, Minnesota State Moorhead was picked eighth with 122 points, Bemidji State was picked ninth with 113 points, Northern State was picked 10
th with 89 points, Jamestown was picked 11
th with 69 points, Minnesota Crookston and St. Cloud State tied for 12
th with 67 points each, Wayne State was picked 14
th with 63 points, Southwest Minnesota State was picked 15
th with 42 points, and Concordia, St. Paul was picked 16
th with 29 points.
2025 NSIC Preseason Women's Cross Country Coaches' Poll
| RANK |
TEAM (1st-place votes) |
POINTS |
| 1 |
Augustana (10) |
217 |
| 2 |
Winona State (3) |
202 |
| 3 |
Mary (1) |
199 |
| 4 |
Minnesota State, Mankato (2) |
193 |
| 5 |
Minnesota Duluth |
171 |
| 6 |
Sioux Falls |
146 |
| 7 |
Minot State |
131 |
| 8 |
Minnesota State Moorhead |
122 |
| 9 |
Bemidji State |
113 |
| 10 |
Northern State |
89 |
| 11 |
Jamestown |
69 |
| t12 |
Minnesota Crookston |
67 |
| t12 |
St. Cloud State |
67 |
| 14 |
Wayne State |
63 |
| 15 |
Southwest Minnesota State |
42 |
| 16 |
Concordia, St. Paul |
29 |
