The cross country program that has dominated the Mid-Continent Conference for the past five years has once again been chosen as the team to beat in both men???s and women???s cross country. Southern Utah, which has won five men???s conference crowns and four women???s titles in the past five years, was the clear-cut top pick by league coaches in both preseason polls. Southern Utah swept the men???s and women???s titles for the fourth straight year in 2001. Head coach Eric Houle is redshirting four of his top men???s returnees this year, including a trio of all-conference performers from 2001. J.D. Neilson, a first-team all-conference selection and last year???s Newcomer of the Year, will lead the team in its quest for a sixth straight title. On the women???s side, the Thunderbirds returns four all-conference honorees from 2001, including Natalie Quilter, who finished third in last year???s championship meet. Oakland was tabbed to finish second in both the men???s and women???s preseason polls. Head coach Paul Rice???s squads both finished second last year to Southern Utah; the men???s placement was its highest ever and the women???s was its second-straight runner-up finish. Three-time first-team all-conference honoree Kristie Kieffer should return to anchor the women???s team, while first-teamer Jason Bruscha should do the same for the men. IUPUI, picked third in both polls, made a solid push up the team standings last year, and head coach Scott Williams hopes his Jaguars can continue to climb the final standings in both the men???s and women???s races. The men???s team does not return any all-conference performers from a year ago, but the women???s squad should be helped by the return of two-time first-team All Mid-Con performer Lyndsey Emerson. UMKC, led by first-year coach Irv Ray, was picked fourth in the men???s poll and seventh in the women???s. The Kangaroo men are slated to return a pair of second-team all-conference honorees from last year, including Bill Hibdon, who finished 10th in the race. The women lost their only All Mid-Con honoree from 2001. Valparaiso tied with UMKC for fourth in the men???s poll and held down the fourth slot by itself in the women???s poll. Head coach Mike Straubel lost his only all-conference runner on the men???s side, but expects second-team all-conference honoree Carrie Waterman to anchor the women???s squad. Both of head coach Joe Dial???s Oral Roberts teams were tabbed to finish sixth in the preseason polls. The Golden Eagles expect last year???s Mid-Con Athlete of the Year, Omar Brooks, to lead the men???s team, while three-time all-conference runner Deidre Emerson should be the best the women???s team has to offer. Western Illinois, led by head coach Mike Stevenson, saw its teams picked seventh and fifth, respectively in the men???s and women???s polls. Neither squad placed a runner on the all-conference teams last year, but both teams are slated to return their top finishers in last year???s championship - Zach Somers, who finished 23rd, and Vicky Parent, who crossed the line 17th. Chicago State was picked eighth in both the men???s and women???s polls. Head coach Sudie Davis saw his team make strides last year, and should see two of his top runners from last year return, including Garrett Kellogg, who finished 25th in last year???s Mid-Con Championship. The women???s team is now under the guidance of two-time Olympian Mamie Rallins. All eight institutions will compete in the 2002 Mid-Con Cross Country Championship, which will be contested at Southeastway Park in Indianapolis and hosted by IUPUI. Both the men???s 8-kilometer race and the women???s 6-kilometer race are scheduled for November 2. 2002 Men???s Cross Country Preseason Poll Team-Points 1. Southern Utah (5) - 7 2. Oakland (2) - 10 3. IUPUI - 21 4. UMKC - 24 Valparaiso - 24 6. Oral Roberts - 29 7. Western Illinois - 32 8. Chicago State - 49 (First place votes in parentheses) 2002 Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll Team-Points 1. Southern Utah (5) - 7 2. Oakland (2) - 11 3. IUPUI - 16 4. Valparaiso - 21 5. Western Illinois - 26 6. Oral Roberts - 27 7. UMKC - 34 8. Chicago State - 49 (First place votes in parentheses)