BISMARCK, N.D. – Led by NAIA Nationals qualifier Peyton Anthony and senior Richard Marcoux, as well as three other returners, the Bellevue University men's cross country team is picked to finish third in the 2023 North Star Athletic Association Preseason Coaches Poll released today. 

Dakota State will be eyeing for its sixth consecutive NSAA men's cross country team title. The Trojans were the unanimous pick to win the title after collecting all six first-place votes and 36 points.

The Trojans extended their historic streak to five straight years of winning the NSAA men's cross-country title, hitting a conference record low of 19 points in last year's conference meet.

Dickinson State secured second place in the preseason poll after registering 29 points, followed by Bellevue with 25 points. Viterbo finished fourth with 17 points, while Valley City State was fifth with 13 points. Waldorf placed sixth after scoring six points.

Viterbo will be the host site for this year's NSAA conference meet on Friday, Nov. 3, held at Maple Groves Venues in West Salem, Wis.

The team winner of the conference meet will represent the North Star Athletic Association in the NAIA Men's Cross Country National Championships at Fort Vancouver Historical Site in Vancouver, Wash., on Friday, Nov. 17.

2023 NSAA Men's Cross-Country Coaches' Preseason Poll
Rank School (First-Place Votes in parenthesis) Points
1 Dakota State (S.D.) (6) 36
2 Dickinson State (N.D.) 29
3 Bellevue (Neb.) 25
4 Viterbo (Wis.) 17
5 Valley City State (N.D.) 13
6 Waldorf (Iowa) 6