The Concordia University men’s and women’s cross country teams are rated in the top 25 in the NAIA preseason poll. The Concordia men were voted fifth, and the women were selected 14th.
On the women’s side, Simon Fraser was selected as the number one team in the NAIA with 11 first-place votes and 573 points. Cedarville University (563) was voted second with six first-place votes, while Biola University (560) was third with the final four first-place votes. Concordia University of California finished in fourth with 523 points, and Malone University rounded out the top five with 508 points. Concordia and Doane were the only two teams selected from the GPAC. Concordia finished with 320 points, and Doane was selected 22nd with 203 points.
Two-time defending national champion Malone University was selected as the number one team on the men’s side. The Pioneers received 18 first-place votes and 559 points in the poll. Aquinas College received one first-place vote and was voted second with 528 points, while Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (515) was picked third. Simon Fraser University received the final first-place vote with 496 points to finish just in front of the Concordia men with 475 points.
The Concordia women have qualified for the National Championships and finished in the top 20 in the NAIA for 15 straight years. Last year, Concordia finished second in the GPAC and 15th at the NAIA National meet.
The Concordia men enter the 2009 season following a sixth-place finish at the National meet last year. All-Americans Zach Meineke (2008) and Luka Thor (2005, 2006) will lead an experienced and talented group of runners for the Bulldogs.