RENO, Nev. – The Mountain West released the 2022 preseason poll for men's and women's cross country Wednesday.
Nevada was predicted to finish in seventh place for both men and women. The women received 47 points while the men received 25 points.
Air Force, the 2021 Mountain West men's champion, were predicted to repeat with 63 points. On the women's side, New Mexico is predicted to repeat as the conference champion with 100 points.
Last season, the men finished in sixth, beating three teams in the conference and improving their finish from the spring. The women's team finished the meet in seventh, finishing above UNLV and earning three points in the Silver State Series.
This year's team will be led by several key returners on both squads, including
Tierney Wolfgram and
Jared Marchegger.
Wolfgram saw her highest finish at the 2021 championships in ninth in the 6k. She also became the second Pack athlete in history to qualify for NCAA Cross Country Nationals, finishing 117
th in the same event. Marchegger's highest finish at the championships was 26
th in the 8k, making him tied for second all-time at Nevada in the event.
Familiar faces
Adam Sjolund,
Daniel Sayo,
Andrew Ribeiro, and
Carson Leavitt, who all placed in the top-50 last year at the Mountain West championship, will also be returning this season.
The Pack opens up their season Sept. 1 with the Nevada Twilight Classic at Washoe County's Rancho San Rafael Park sponsored by Reno Running Company and Eclipse Running.
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Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll
Rk. Team Points
1. Air Force (7) 63
2. Boise State (1) 51
3. Colorado State 49
3. Utah State (1) 49
5. Wyoming 37
6. New Mexico 27
7. Nevada 25
8. Fresno State 15
9. San José State 8
Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
Rk. Team Points
1. New Mexico (10) 100
2. Utah State 86
3. Colorado State 83
4. Air Force 71
5. Boise State (1) 68
6. Wyoming 55
7. Nevada 47
8. San Diego State 32
9. Fresno State 26
10. San José State 24
11. UNLV 13