BISMARCK, N.D. – Led by two-time defending North Star Athletic Association cross country champion Madison Nelson, the Bellevue University women's cross country team is picked to finish fourth in the NSAA as voted by the coaches in the 2023 NSAA Preseason Poll. 

Viterbo was the unanimous coaches' pick to repeat for the league title. 

The V-Hawks captured the 2022 conference title for the second time in a span of four years. VU collected all six first-place votes and 36 points to secure the top spot in the preseason poll.

Dickinson State and Dakota State were tied for second in the poll, recording 27 points each. The Bruins were fourth with 17 points. Valley City State (N.D.) edged Waldorf (Iowa) by one point (10-9) to finish fifth in the poll.

The North Star Athletic Association Cross Country Championships are set for Friday, Nov. 3, at Maple Grove Venues in West Salem, Wis. The conference meet will be hosted by Viterbo.

The team winner of the conference championships will earn the NSAA's automatic bid to the NAIA Women's Cross Country National Championships. The national cross-country meet is set to take place at Fort Vancouver National Historic Championship Course in Vancouver, Wash., on Nov. 17.

2023 NSAA Women's Cross-Country Coaches' Preseason Poll
Rank School (First-Place Votes in parenthesis) Points
1. Viterbo (Wis.) (6) 36
T2. Dickinson State (N.D.) 27
T2.Dakota State (S.D.) 27
4. Bellevue (Neb.) 17
5. Valley City State (N.D.) 10
6. Waldorf (Iowa) 9