NMU Women, MTU Men projected to be fourth in standings
HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced its Cross Country Preseason Coaches’ Poll, announced Wednesday (August 28). The men of Michigan Tech are selected to finish fourth with 59 points while the women’s team is tabbed to finish fifth with 64 points. Grand Valley State is the preseason favorite with nine first-place votes on the women’s ballot and 10 first-place votes in the men’s poll.
The men’s squad returns first-team All-GLIAC and All-Region performer Sam Lange along with Tucker Ringhand who was the GLIAC runner-up in the 5,000m at the Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 2023 and the fourth finisher for the Huskies at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships in 2022 when the Black & Gold had their best program finish getting 10th as a team.
MTU also welcomes six newcomers as the fastest-ever recruiting class highlighted by Lansing Community College transfer Michael Dennis who was the NJCAA Division II National Runner-up.
The women’s team returns low-stick Sophia Rhein returning for her sophomore year following second-team All-GLIAC in cross country as a freshman. Cedar Gordon, Ingrid Halverson and Hailee Zimpel join Rhein as the returners from the regional meet a season ago.
The Black & Gold also brings in a lot of talent with nine newcomers with the potential to be among the top-seven.
Headlining Northern’s returning core is All-GLIAC junior Madi Szymanski. The native of Alpena, Michigan broke out for the Green and Gold in 2023, finishing in 8th place at the GLIAC Championships and 12th at the Regional race. It was a milestone race for Szymanski, finishing with a time of 20:55.83, taking nearly 40 seconds off of her personal record. She went on to represent the ‘Cats at the National Championships, ending the season with a 65th place finish in a field of more than 260 runners.
Junior Gianna Hoving will also look to be a significant contributor this season after placing 24th at the GLIAC Championships and 45th at Regionals with a personal best time of 21:51.9. The two seniors on the squad, Skylar Grubb and Talon Prusi, will also look to play an important role after finishing in 27th and 59th respectively at last season’s GLIAC Championship.
To go along with Szymanski, Hoving, Grubb, and Prusi, sophomores Emma Sweeney, Dani Van Lente, and Lamar Gordon, along with freshmen Celia Wallace and Lola Korpi will all contend for top-ten team finishes this season for the Green and Gold.
The Huskies and Wildcats open the season on September 6, at the Phoenix Open hosted by the University of Green Bay.
2024 GLIAC Men’s Cross Country Preseason Coaches’ Poll
| 1. | Grand Valley State | 81 (9) | |
| 2. | Saginaw Valley State | 73 (1) | |
| 3. | Wayne State | 62 | |
| 4. | Michigan Tech | 59 | |
| 5. | Parkside | 44 | |
| 6. | Davenport | 43 | |
| 7. | Ferris State | 37 | |
| 8. | Purdue Northwest | 24 | |
| 9. | Lake Superior State | 18 | |
| 10. | Roosevelt | 9 | |
2024 GLIAC Women’s Cross Country Preseason Coaches’ Poll
| 1. | Grand Valley State | 100 (10) | |
| 2. | Wayne State | 86 (1) | |
| 3. | Saginaw Valley State | 82 | |
| 4. | Northern Michigan | 73 | |
| 5. | Michigan Tech | 64 | |
| 6. | Parkside | 56 | |
| 7. | Ferris State | 46 | |
| 8. | Davenport | 40 | |
| 9. | Purdue Northwest | 29 | |
| 10. | Lake Superior State | 19 | |
| 11. | Roosevelt | 10 | |
