Cross-country teams recognized in preseason NAIA poll
The NAIA has released preseason coaches top 25 polls for cross country, and Milligan College ranks No. 15 on the men’s side and No. 17 on the women’s side.
MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (Aug. 29, 2019) – The NAIA has released preseason coaches top 25 polls for cross country, and Milligan College ranks No. 15 on the men's side and No. 17 on the women's side.
Milligan finished last season No. 12 (women) and No. 17 (men) at the NAIA Cross Country National Championships and comes in this season with strong returning and incoming classes.
"You can't put much into preseason ratings one way or the other, but it is better to be in the conversation than out of it," Head Coach Chris Layne said. "We have two really good teams, but we will need to back that up every time the gun fires."
Milligan opens the season with a select squad heading to Tusculum University for the Zaxby's Open Friday, Sept. 6. The meet will begin with the women's race at 6 p.m. Last season, Milligan ran away with the women's race before finishing runner-up on the men's side. Then-freshman Gabrielle Mardis, in her debut, took the individual crown for the women, covering the 5k course in 20:21. Tyler Bates led the men with a fourth-place finish.