NSIC RELEASE
BURNSVILLE, Minn. - The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference announced today that the Augustana women's and men's cross country teams have been picked to finish first in the 2010 Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Vikings men's team received the max of nine first-place votes and 81 points in the poll, while the women acquired seven top votes and 97 points. Augustana also boasts the men's NSIC Preseason Athlete of the Year in
Tom Karbo.
On the men's side, Augustana finished ahead of Minnesota State, which received 73 points, and St. Cloud, which tallied 61 points. The Augustana women topped out ahead of the University of Mary and Minnesota Duluth, which each tied for second with two first-place votes and 88 points .
Karbo enters 2010 as one of the top runners in the NSIC as he was last year's runner-up at the NSIC Championship. Karbo was also the conference's top finisher at the NCAA Regional as he checked in with a 17th-place finish. The junior from Norway was also the Vikings' best finisher at nationals as he grabbed a 54th-place finish.
Augustana's
Austin Vande Berg and
Runa Falch were named Preseason Athletes to Watch.
The Augustana women's and men's cross country teams are both ranked No. 4 in the 2010 NCAA Division II Central Region Rankings released yesterday by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
The cross country season gets underway on Sept. 25 when the Vikings travel to Minneapolis for the Roy Griak Invitational, one of the largest meets in the country.
Men's Cross Country Coaches' Poll
1. Augustana (9) 81
2. Minnesota State (1) 73
3. St. Cloud State 61
4. Minnesota Duluth 52
5. MSU Moorhead 45
6. Northern State 39
Wayne State 39
8. U-Mary 33
9. Winona State 17
10. Concordia-St. Paul 10
first place votes in ( )
Women's Cross Country Coaches' Poll
1. Augustana (7) 97
2. U-Mary (2) 88
Minnesota Duluth (2) 88
4. Minnesota State 70
5. Winona State 64
6. St. Cloud State 48
7. MSU Moorhead 44
8. Wayne State 41
9. Northern State 36
10. Bemidji State 17
11. Concordia-St. Paul 12
first place votes in ( )
