Wednesday, September 1, 2021

NEW ORLEANS – The national cross country polls have a definite GNAC flavor to them as the Division II Preseason Cross Country Rankings were released on Wednesday by the U.S. Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association.

Five of the conference’s 10 women’s teams received mentions in the poll. Simon Fraser, which was unable to compete in either cross country or track and field in 2020-21 due to the U.S./Canada border closure necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, opens the year at No. 11.

Seattle Pacific, the narrow favorite in the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll, debuts at No. 21 while Alaska Anchorage enters the season at No. 27. Northwest Nazarene, which finished second at the 2019 NCAA West Regional Championships, and defending GNAC champion Western Washington were among teams receiving votes.

Western Washington was the lone GNAC representative in the men’s preseason poll. The defending GNAC champion and the narrow favorite to win again in the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll enters the season at No. 24.

The five women’s teams all landed in the top-10 of the first USTFCCCA West Region Rankings, which were released on Tuesday. Simon Fraser leads the list at No. 2, followed by Seattle Pacific at No. 5, Alaska Anchorage at No. 6, Northwest Nazarene at No. 7 and Western Washington at No. 8.

The Vikings are No. 4 in the preseason Men’s West Region Rankings. Alaska Anchorage is the only other GNAC team in the rankings at No. 9.

Alaska Anchorage began its season on Saturday, August 28, competing against Alaska in the UAF Blue/Gold Race in Fairbanks. The Seawolves’ men won the dual with a score of 21 points. The Nanooks women scored 17 points to beat Alaska Anchorage by 21 points. The two teams will square again on Saturday at the Seawolf Throwdown in Anchorage.

Other GNAC teams opening competition this weekend include Northwest Nazarene at the College of Southern Idaho Invitational and Western Oregon at the Linfield Harrier Classic on Friday. Saint Martin’s and Seattle Pacific open with the Puget Sound Invitational on Saturday.