The Missouri Southern men's cross country team has been unanimously picked to repeat as MIAA Champions as the league announced its preseason coaches poll today.
The Lions, who are first in the preseason Central Region Poll and ranked sixth nationally, earned ten of the possible 10 first-place votes as coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.
Southern won both the MIAA Championship and the NCAA Central Region Championship en route to an 11th-place team finish at the NCAA Division II Championships. The Lions placed all five scorers in the top 11 of the MIAA Championships last year and had seven runners in the top 20. Gidieon Kimutai won the event as a true freshman, while Cody Berry, Josh Webb, Nickson Kiptoo, Michael Shanahan, Jared Ozee and Kevin Koester all earned All-MIAA honors.
The men won last year's regional title, snapping a stretch of six-straight for Augustana. After finishing second in the previous two regional meets, the Lions return every scorer off of last year's championship team, including the returning champion in Kimutai. Kimutai, now a sophomore, joins transfer Ryan Riddle (Tulsa) as well as an experienced returning corps of runners that should prove to be among the best teams in Division II this year.
The Lions had 100 points, 12 in front of second-place Nebraska-Kearney. Fort Hays State was third, followed by Pittsburg State, Northwest Missouri, Washburn, Central Missouri, Emporia State, Missouri Western, Rogers State and Newman to round out the poll.
The Lions open up the regular season on September 7 when both squads participate at the Southwest Baptist Invite.
2019 MIAA Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Missouri Southern (10) - 100 points
2. Nebraska Kearney (1) - 88 points
3. Fort Hays State - 78 points
4. Pitt State - 68 points
5. Northwest Missouri - 58 points
6. Washburn - 55 points
7. Central Missouri - 52 points
8. Emporia State - 31 points
t9. Missouri Western - 27 points
t9. Rogers State - 27 points
11. Newman - 14 points
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