Wayne State was listed 11
th in the 2026 NSIC Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll released Tuesday morning by the league office in Burnsville, Minnesota. Sophomore
Lucas Frazier was picked as Wayne State's Athlete to Watch in the NSIC this season.
The Wildcats received 70 points in voting conducted by league coaches after posting an 11
th-place finish at last year's NSIC Championships held in Wayne.
Defending NSIC champion Augustana was a unanimous selection to win this year's NSIC Men's Cross Country title earning 196 points and 14 first-place ballots. MSU Moorhead was second at 182 points and the remaining first-place vote (coaches can not vote for their own team). Minnesota State edged the University of Mary for third 164-161 with Sioux Falls at fifth with 121 points.
Winona State was one point ahead of Minnesota Crookston 119-118 for sixth place with Minnesota Duluth (108), Concordia-St. Paul (101) and Jamestown (88) rounding out the top 10 teams.
Wayne State's Athlete to Watch is Beatrice sophomore
Lucas Frazier. Last season he was the Wildcats' top runner at the season-ending NCAA Central Regional and was the #2 finisher at two other meets. Frazier had a season-best fourth-place finish at the Wildcat Classic (9/26/25).
Wayne State is scheduled to open the 2026 cross country season on Friday, September 4th at the Augustana Twilight Invitational at Yankton Trails Park in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
2026 NSIC Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Augustana (14) 196 pts.
2. MSU Moorhead (1) 182 pts.
3. Minnesota State 164 pts.
4. University of Mary 161 pts.
5. Sioux Falls 121 pts.
6. Winona State 119 pts.
7. Minnesota Crookston 118 pts.
8. Minnesota Duluth 108 pts.
9. Concordia-St. Paul 101 pts.
10. Jamestown 88 pts.
11. Wayne State 70 pts.
12. Minot State 53 pts.
13. Northern State 41 pts.
14. Southwest Minnesota State 36 pts.
15. St. Cloud State 17 pts.
