MADISON, S.D. – In its third season as a varsity sport, the Bellevue University women's cross country team is picked to finish fifth in the 2020 North Star Athletic Association Women's Cross Country preseason coaches' poll, announced today by the conference office. 

The Bruins return five letterwinners from last season's squad, including NAIA Nationals qualifier Lorena Ramirez. Bellevue finished in sixth place at last season's NSAA Cross Country Championships. 

Dakota State (S.D.) edged Dickinson State (N.D.) by one point to secure the top spot in the poll. 

The Trojans and Blue Hawks each tallied three first-place votes in the preseason poll.  Dakota State earned 38 points, while Dickinson State recorded 37 points. 

DaSU and DiSU shared the conference team title last year, with each team scoring 41 points in the conference meet.  It was the fifth straight conference title for the Blue Hawks, while it was the first conference title for the Trojans.  Dakota State placed 31st at the NAIA national meet, followed by Dickinson State with a 32nd place finish.

Viterbo (Wis.) placed third in the preseason poll after collecting 33 points. Valley City State (N.D.) edged Bellevue (Neb.) 21-20 to place fourth. Waldorf (Iowa) is sixth with 13 points, while Presentation (S.D.) is seventh with six points.

The North Star Athletic Association Cross Country conference championship meet will be held in Madison, S.D. hosted by Dakota State, on Nov. 6.  The team winner of the conference meet will earn the NSAA's automatic bid to the NAIA Women's Cross-Country National Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on April 9, 2021 (NAIA fall sports championships were forced to postpone to spring season due to COVID-19 pandemic). 

Below is the complete 2020 NSAA Women's Cross Country preseason coaches' poll: