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S. UTAH
CROSS COUNTRY: The Southern Utah women's cross country team has been chosen to repeat as Summit League champions in the annual Summit League preseason coaches poll. The men's team was tabbed for second place, closely following reigning champion South Dakota State.
SUU head coach Eric Houle, reigning women's Summit League Coach of the Year, and the Lady Thunderbirds will be hoping to win a second consecutive conference championship in 2010. Three all-league athletes return this year, including 2009 Summit League meet runner-up Diana Medina, 2009 Newcomer of the Year Whitney Curtis and second-team all-conference honoree Shelli Richardson.
North Dakota State finished in second place behind Southern Utah with 74 points, while South Dakota State (56), Oakland (53) and Oral Roberts (50) took third, fourth and fifth, respectively. IPFW (42) and IUPUI (41) took sixth and seventh, only separated by a single point. UMKC (23), Western Illinois (22) and Centenary (9) wrapped up the poll in eighth, ninth and 10th place, respectively.
The SDSU men's team topped the poll with 79 points, while the SUU men were five points back with 74. Oakland trailed in third with 61 points, followed by North Dakota State and Oral Roberts, which were tied for fourth with 51 points apiece. Sixth place is IUPUI (48), followed by Western Illinois (32) in seventh. UMKC (28), IPFW (16) and Centenary (10) finished eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively.
The SUU men return 2009 Athlete of the Year and Summit League Championship MVP Cameron Levins, as well as fellow standout Kevin Sandall, two first-team all-league finishers.
The 2010 cross country season is set to begin on Sept. 4 when the Thunderbirds travel to Pocatello, Idaho, to participate in the Idaho State Invitational.