DENVER - The Western Athletic Conference announced its men's and women's cross country pre-championship coaches' polls, as voted on by the eight head coaches in the league. Utah Valley was selected as the favorite to win the men's championship, while Seattle U and Utah Valley tied for the pick to win the women's title.
On the men’s side, Utah Valley, in its second year in the WAC, has been regionally-ranked in every USTFCCCA poll this year and were picked as the favorite to win the conference championship. The Wolverines received five first-place votes and 35 points. Seattle U captured second place with 30 points and two first-place votes. Missouri-Kansas City claimed the third spot with 25 points. With 21 points, New Mexico State was voted fourth. Texas-Pan American and Grand Canyon tied for fifth, just six points behind the Aggies, receiving 15 total points. Chicago State closes out the men’s poll in seventh place with six points.
Seattle U and Utah Valley were both selected first with three first-place votes and 44 overall points. New Mexico State followed in second with a first-place vote for 36 points. With 34 points, Missouri-Kansas City was picked to finish fourth with one first-place vote. Grand Canyon with 25 points captured the fifth spot, edging out sixth-ranked Bakersfield by a six points. Texas-Pan American was selected seventh, totaling 15 points. Closing out the coaches votes was Chicago State in eighth with seven points.
The 2014 Western Athletic Conference cross country championships will take place in Edinburg, Texas, on Saturday, Nov. 1.
2014 Pre-Championship Men's Cross Country Coaches Poll
Rank Team (1st-place votes) Points
1 Utah Valley (5) 35
2 Seattle U (2) 30
3 Missouri-Kansas City 25
4 New Mexico State 21
5 Texas-Pan American 15
5 Grand Canyon 15
7 Chicago State 6
2014 Pre-Championship Women's Cross Country Coaches Poll
Rank Team (1st-place votes) Points
1 Utah Valley (3) 44
1 Seattle U (3) 44
3 New Mexico State (1) 36
4 Missouri-Kansas City (1) 34
5 Grand Canyon 25
6 Bakersfield 19
7 Texas-Pan American 15
8 Chicago State 7