Aug. 22, 2011
ST. LOUIS - After turning in a third-place finish at the 2010 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Championships, the Missouri State cross country team has been picked fourth in the MVC preseason poll released today.
For the second-straight year, the Wichita State women have been selected as favorites to win the MVC title, gathering five first-place votes and 93 points. Also voted ahead of the Bears were Illinois State and Bradley. The Redbirds tallied four first-place votes and were just one point shy of Wichita State, while Bradley earned 70 points for third place.
First-year head cross country coach Alick Musukuma will head into the 2011 season with four returners who placed in the top 30 at the MVC Championships. Terry Phillips, who was the 2009 MVC individual champion, returns for her senior season after finishing eighth last year. Junior Emily Beaver will look to improve on her 16th-place finish and sophomores Nicole Thate and Lisa Imgrund will be back after their 27th and 28th-place finishes, respectively.
"This is exciting, because nobody knows who is who," said Musukuma, regarding the fourth-place pick on the preseason poll. "Sitting at No. 1, you have everyone knocking at your door and at No. 4, you are sitting in the middle and nobody takes notice. We haven't even started competing yet, so when we start competing, that is when we will know who has what."
The Bears begin the 2011 season on Friday, Sept. 2, with a dual meet against cross-town school Evangel University.
| 2011 MVC Women’s Cross Country Preseason Poll |
| Rank |
Team (1st-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1 |
Wichita State (5) |
93 |
| 2 |
Illinois State (4) |
92 |
| 3 |
Bradley |
70 |
| 4 |
Missouri State |
65 |
| 5 |
Southern Illinois |
62 |
| 6 |
Indiana State (1) |
59 |
| 7 |
Drake |
38 |
| 8 |
Northern Iowa |
34 |
| 9 |
Evansville |
23 |
| 10 |
Creighton |
14 |
|
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