ONU WOMEN’S XC TABBED NO. 21; MEN AT 17 IN NAIA PRESEASON RANKINGS

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After earning top-25 finishes at last year's NAIA National Championships, the Olivet Nazarene University men's and women's cross country teams earned the No. 17 and No. 21 rankings, respectively, in the NAIA Preseason Coaches' Top-25 poll. The league office announced its selections Thursday morning. 

For the complete NAIA Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Top-25 Polls, click HERE for the men and HERE for the women.

Along with St. Francis (Ill.), the ONU cross country teams were one of only two programs from the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) to receive a preseason ranking. The Fighting Saints took the No. 8 spot on the men's side and the No. 5 spot on the women's.

The Tiger men are returning the bulk of their team that placed 24th at the national meet a season ago, highlighted by the defending CCAC individual champion and two-time NAIA All-American Taylor Vallangeon, who will look to win his third individual CCAC title. The senior will be joined by Jordan VanBarriger, Flynn Prather, Austin Rush, and Enrique Romo this season.

The ONU women, who also placed 24th at nationals last season, will be led by Catherine White for the upcoming campaign. The sophomore harrier had a stellar freshman season, placing 40th at the NAIA National Championships and earning the CCAC Freshman of the Year award at the conference meet. Eleanor Fournier, Lauren Smith, Heidi Heldt, and Thaliya Martinez are all set to return to this year's squad.

The Tigers will open their seasons on Sept. 1 at the Lewis Early Bird in Romeoville, Ill. The women's race is set to begin at 6 p.m. CST with the men's race to follow.

--ONU—

*Contact: Evan Wild, Sports Information Director, ewwild@olivet.edu