Aug. 21, 2014
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The San Diego State cross country team has been picked to finish ninth in the Mountain West preseason poll in a vote by the league's coaches, the conference announced today.
The Aztecs garnered 25 votes in the poll, seven ahead of 10th-place San José State's 18 and eight ahead of 11th-place UNLV (17). New Mexico, which has won the past six MW titles, was picked to win this year's championships again with 97 points, including seven first-place votes. Boise State came in second with 92 points and the other four first-place votes, while Colorado State (82), Wyoming (63) and Utah State (61) rounded out the top five. Air Force was picked to finish sixth with 58 points, and Nevada (54) and Fresno State (41) followed in seventh and eighth, respectively.
Last year, SDSU came in ninth out of 11 at the MW Championships with 274 points. Chelsea Kruthers led the way for San Diego State by coming in 56th in 23 minutes, 50.92 seconds at the high altitude 6,000-meter course at USAF Academy, Colo. Including Kruthers, five of the seven runners in that race return for the Aztecs, including Rachel Roesgen (59th), Elaine Ribeiro (60th), Dynasty Gammage (64th) and Melissa Wendorf (81st).
This year's championship meet takes place on Oct. 31 at historic Woodward Park in Fresno, Calif., at near sea level.
SDSU kicks off the 2014 campaign at the Mark Covert Classic on Aug. 30 at Carbon Canyon Regional Park in Brea, Calif.
2014 Mountain West Cross Country Preseason Poll
1. New Mexico (7) - 97
2. Boise State (4) - 92
3. Colorado State - 82
4. Wyoming - 63
5. Utah State - 61
6. Air Force - 58
7. Nevada - 54
8. Fresno State - 41
9. San Diego State - 25
10. San José State - 18
11. UNLV - 17
(first-place votes in parenthesis)