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LET'S RACE
The 2017 WAC Cross Country Championships head to the NMSU Golf Course in Las Cruces, N.M. this Saturday, Oct. 28, as the Kansas City men look to repeat as champions while the Utah Valley women will attempt a three-peat. The men open up with an 8k at 9 a.m. (MT), followed by the women running a 5000-meter course at 10 a.m.
PRE-CHAMPIONSHIP POLL RELEASED
The WAC announced its men's and women's cross country pre-championship coaches polls, as voted on by the eight head coaches in the league, who were unable to vote for their own teams. Utah Valley was selected as the favorite to win both the men's and women's races.
On the men's side, Utah Valley was selected to win the WAC Championship, receiving 35 points and five first-place votes. Kansas City was selected second with 31 points and the remaining first-place vote. Grand Canyon and host NM State tied for third place with 22 points, followed by Seattle U in fifth with 18 points. UT Rio Grande Valley came in sixth with 13 points, while Chicago State rounds out the poll with six points.
On the women's side, Utah Valley was the favorite to earn the conference title as the Wolverines earned five first-place votes and 47 points overall. Host NM State was picked second with 41 total points and two first-place votes. Seattle U was selected third with 34 points, edging out Kansas City in fourth place with 33 points and the final first-place vote. Grand Canyon was selected to finish fifth with 28 points, while UT Rio Grande Valley was predicted to place sixth with 21 points. CSU Bakersfield (13) and Chicago State (7) round out the poll.
REGIONALLY RANKED
Three men's teams and one women's team are listed in the Oct. 16 USTFCCCA Regional Cross Country rankings. The Kansas City men are ranked ninth in the Midwest Region. In the Mountain Region, Utah Valley is ranked 11th, while NM State is 14th. On the women's side, Utah Valley is ranked 13th in the Mountain Region.