NC State Women’s Cross Country #6 in Preseason Poll

NEW ORLEANS, La. — Both Wolfpack cross country squads will enter the 2017 season nationally ranked as the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its preseason national coaches’ poll Tuesday afternoon.

The NC State women totaled 283 points to place sixth in the poll, as voted on by representatives from each of the USTFCCCA’s 10 regions. On the men’s side, the Wolfpack was voted 28th overall with 61 points.

The Wolfpack women return four scorers from last year’s fourth-place NCAA squad. Redshirt junior Rachel Koon is set to lead the Pack in 2017 as she took home All-America honors a year ago. Other returning NCAA scorers include Wesley Frazier, Alyssa Rudawsky and Ryen Frazier who placed 47th, 84th and 115th at last year’s national meet, respectively. Most recently, the Pack was chosen first in the USTFCCCA Preseason Southeast Regional Rankings.

The men’s team will be led by a core group of veterans this season, namely Ben Barrett, Elijah Moskowitz, Aubrey Myjer and Patrick Sheehan. NC State placed 22nd at last year’s national meet, good for the program’s first top-25 national finish since 2011. The Pack was selected fourth in the USTFCCCA Southeast Region Preseason Rankings earlier this week.

The Wolfpack opens the 2017 campaign at home as NC State hosts the adidas XC Challenge. The meet will take place on Friday, Sept. 15 at the WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. For the most up-to-date information on NC State cross country, follow @PackXC on Twitter.