North Carolina State University Athletics
Cross Country Squads Both Earn Preseason Rankings
8/31/2011 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Aug. 31, 2011
RALEIGH, N.C. — NC State will begin the 2011 cross country season in a familiar position. Both the men’s and women’s Wolfpack squads are ranked in the USTFCCCA’s preseason Division I polls.
The NC State men begin the season ranked 13th. The Wolfpack will feature two-time All-American Ryan Hill, plus returning All-ACC performer Andrew Colley. Those two will be surrounded by a strong and deep returning cast that includes veterans Bobby Moldovan, Matt Sonnenfeldt, Greg Dame, Brian Himelright and Patrick Campbell. Transfer Adam Henken, an all-conference performer at Kentucky, joins the Wolfpack after sitting out the 2010 campaign.
The Wolfpack women are ranked 21st in the 2011 preseason poll. The State women will feature 2010 All-American and ACC individual champion Laura Hoer along with Andie Cozzarelli, who earned All-ACC honors last year in cross country and followed that up by taking All-America in the 10,000 meters in outdoor track and field.
Hoer and Cozzarelli will have a strong and deep supporting cast. Erin Mercer, Jordan Jenkins, Lauren Doherty, Halsey Merritt, Allison Hofmann and Lillian Greibesland all have experience in championship races, and Kenyetta Iyevbele could be poised for a breakthrough season after earning All-America honors in the 800 meters in outdoor track and field.
The Wolfpack men finished 20th at last year’s NCAA Championships, the Pack’s 20th top 25 finish in the last 27 years. Included in that run are nine finishes in the national top 10. The NC State women were 24th at the national meet a year ago, which was their 25th finish in the top 25 in the last 30 years. State’s women have 11 top 10 finishes in that time.
USTFCCCA NCAA Division I
Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll
2011 Preseason — Aug. 30
1. Oklahoma State
2. Stanford
3. Wisconsin
4. Oregon
5. Iona
6. Oklahoma
7. Colorado
8t. Florida State
8t. Indiana
10. Portland
11. Princeton
12. Northern Arizona
13. NC State
14. Syracuse
15. Arkansas
16. BYU
17. Villanova
18. Providence
19. Virginia
20. Louisville
21. New Mexico
22. Georgetown
23. Notre Dame
24. Texas
25. Ohio State
26. Florida
27. Minnesota
28. Eastern Kentucky
29. Arizona State
30. Dartmouth
Others Receiving Votes: Alabama 20, Penn State 20, North Carolina 17, William & Mary 17, Michigan State 13, Washington 12, Michigan 10, Lamar 6, Arizona 4, Texas A&M 2, Columbia 1.
USTFCCCA NCAA Division I
Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll
2011 Preseason — Aug. 30
1. Georgetown
2. New Mexico
3. Providence
4. Colorado
5. Villanova
6. Florida State
7. Stanford
8. Arizona
9. Duke
10. Iowa State
11. Washington
12. North Carolina
13. Michigan
14. Texas
15. Syracuse
16. Oregon
17. Virginia
18t. Penn State
18t. Boston College
20. Texas Tech
21. NC State
22t. Princeton
22t. Florida
24. West Virginia
25. BYU
26. Oklahoma State
27. Toledo
28. Iowa
29. Michigan State
30. Minnesota
Others Receiving Votes: Columbia 43, Arkansas 15, Kansas State 13, Indiana 9, California 7, Tulsa 6, San Francisco 6, Vanderbilt 2, James Madison 1, Stony Brook 1, La Salle 1
