NSIC Preseason Men's Cross Country Coaches Poll Release
Wayne State College was voted by league coaches to finish tied for sixth in the 2010 Northern Sun Conference men's cross country preseason coaches poll released by the league office in Burnsville, Minnesota. The Wildcats and Northern State each received 39 points in voting done by the league's 10 head coaches that have men's cross country. Wildcat senior York Thomas was tabbed as Wayne State's runner to watch in the NSIC this season.
Defending league champion Augustana received nine of 10 first place votes and 81 points to be selected as the team to beat in the NSIC this season. Minnesota State was second with 73 points and the other first place vote. St. Cloud State (61), Minnesota Duluth (52) and MSU Moorhead (45) round out the top five teams in the poll. Northern State and Wayne State tied for sixth each with 39 points followed by Mary (33 points), Winona State (17) and Concordia-St. Paul (10) closing out the teams in the preseason coaches poll.
York Thomas, a senior from Lennox, South Dakota, was selected as Wayne State's runner to watch in the NSIC this season. Thomas is a three-time All Northern Sun Conference runner for the Wildcats, earning Second Team All-NSIC honors last season with a 13th place finish in the NSIC Championships. He was Wayne State's top finisher at last year's NCAA Division II Central Regional in Wayne with a personal-best time of 33:44 on the 10,000 meter course to finish 42nd overall.
Wayne State is scheduled to open the 2010 cross country season this Saturday when the Wildcats compete at the Concordia Invitational in Seward, Nebraska.
