Willamette Cross Country Teams are Ranked #1 in NWC Preseason Polls

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University cross country teams are both listed at #1 in the 2016 Northwest Conference Cross Country Preaseason Polls. Voting was by the NWC head coaches.

In the men's poll, the Bearcats were picked to win their fifth consecutive NWC title. Willamette received six of nine first place votes and 67 points in the poll.

Top returning runners for the Bearcats are Patrick Loftus (Jr., Santa Rosa, CA/Sonoma Academy), who placed seventh at last year's NWC Championships, and Keith Carlson (So., Bainbridge Island, WA//Bainbridge HS), who took 10th place a year ago. In addition to winning the NWC title, the Bearats placed third at the 2015 NCAA West Regional and finished 28th at the 2015 NCAA Division III Championships.

Loftus earned First Team All-NWC recognition and was chosen All-West Region. Carlson received Second Team All-NWC honors.

Whitman College was chosen for second place in the men's poll with three first place votes and 59 points. University of Puget Sound was third with 46 points, while Whitworth University was fourth with 39 points. Geremia Lizier-Zmudzinski of Puget Sound, who placed second in the NWC last year, is the top returning finisher from the 2015 NWC men's championship race.

Following Whitworth in this year's poll was Pacific Lutheran University. The Lutes received 36 points for fifth place. George Fox University was picked to take sixth with 32 points, Linfield College was listed seventh with 28 points, Lewis & Clark College was picked to finish eighth with 20 points, and Pacific University was ninth with 14 points.

Willamette topped the women's poll with five first place votes and 66 points. The Bearcats placed a close second behind Whitworth at at last year's NWC Championships, but won the 2015 NCAA West Regional title and placed 10th at the 2015 NCAA Division III Championships.

Olivia Mancl (Sr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) led the Bearcats last fall by winning the NWC individual championship before placing second at the West Regional. She earned second place in the nation at the NCAA Championships and received All-America honors.

Hannah Swanson (Jr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) placed 10th at the conference race and was named Second Team All-NWC. Swanson and Ami Boucher (Sr., Concord, CA/Northgate HS) joined Mancl as All-West Region selections.

Whitworth, which won the 2015 NWC team title and placed third at the West Regional and 20th at the NCAA Championships, was listed second in this year's NWC Women's Preseason Poll. The Pirates received four first place votes and 63 points.

Ranked third in the poll was Whitman with 49 points. Linfield was fourth with 42 ponits, while Puget Sound followed in fifth place with 39 points. Lewis & Clark was picked sixth with 22 points, and George Fox was one point behind the Pioneers in seventh place with 21 points. Pacific held eight with 20 points and Pacific Lutheran was ninth with 11 points.

Willamette will open the 2016 season at the Ash Creek Preserve Invitational, hosted by Western Oregon University on Friday, Sept. 9. The meet will be held in Monmouth, Oregon, starting at 5 p.m. (PDT).

2016 NWC Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll (1st place votes in parentheses)
1. Willamette (6), 67 points, 1st place in NWC in 2015
2. Whitman (3), 59 points, 3rd place in NWC
3. Puget Sound, 46 points, 2nd place in NWC
4. Whitworth, 39 points, 4th place in NWC
5. Pacific Lutheran, 36 points, 5th place in NWC
6. George Fox, 32 points, 6th place in NWC
7. Linfield, 28 points, 7th place in NWC
8. Lewis & Clark, 20 points, 8th place in NWC
9. Pacific, 14 points, 9th place in NWC

Note: Points were awarded on a 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.

2016 NWC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll (1st place votes in parentheses)
1. Willamette (6), 67 points, 1st place in NWC in 2015
2. Whitman (3), 59 points, 3rd place in NWC
3. Puget Sound, 46 points, 2nd place in NWC
4. Whitworth, 39 points, 4th place in NWC
5. Pacific Lutheran, 36 points, 5th place in NWC
6. George Fox, 32 points, 6th place in NWC
7. Linfield, 28 points, 7th place in NWC
8. Lewis & Clark, 20 points, 8th place in NWC
9. Pacific, 14 points, 9th place in NWC

Note: Points were awarded on a 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.