Bobcat Men Picked Third in Preseason Conference Poll
Women Picked Sixth
Chris Syme
8/18/2009 2:00:08 PM
Bobcat women finished sixth in last year's conference race.
Montana State men’s cross country team was picked third in the Big Sky Conference annual preseason coaches poll that was released Monday.
The Bobcat men finished fifth in last year’s conference meet. The MSU women were picked sixth. Last year’s team returns intact except for senior Chris Baldus. The top men’s finisher for the Bobcats in 2008 was freshman Patrick Casey. The ‘Cats will also have junior Nick Atwood back this fall.
“We have a lot of depth this year on the team,” Kennedy said. “I know we were picked third, but I expect we will finish higher than that. These guys have been here working out all summer and they are ready to go.”
The Bobcat women finished sixth in last year’s conference race and will return most of their squad as well. Sophomore Rebecca Sorenson led the women at last year’s conference meet placing 22nd overall. The biggest loss on the women’s side is three-time all-conference performer Elisabeth Driscoll who graduated in May.
The Northern Arizona men and women were a unanimous selection for first in the conference race with nine first-place votes and 81 points. The Lumberjack women return an impressive lineup of runners, including All-American Veronica Pohl. Pohl won the 2009 individual Big Sky title, on her way to finishing 12th at the NCAA Championship. The Lumberjacks have won back-to-back championships, along with eight of the last 10.