Rio Grande the favorite in 2017 #RSC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
NEW ALBANY, Ind. -- The University of Rio Grande (Ohio) is the favorite in the 2017 River States Conference Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll (Aug. 22). The RedStorm topped the polling of the league's 12 women's cross country head coaches coming off of last year's RSC championship.
Rio Grande led the voting with 112 total votes and received six of the 12 first-place votes. The RedStorm had only one senior in its top seven finishers from last year's RSC championship team that qualified on to the NAIA National Championship.
Point Park (Pa.) University was predicted second in the poll with 109 votes and five first-place votes. The Pioneers placed third at last year's conference championship and won the title two years ago in 2015.
Asbury (Ky.) University was picked third in the poll with 98 votes and the remaining first-place vote. The Eagles were second at last year's conference meet and will be hosting the RSC championship this year.
Ohio Christian University had 90 votes in the preseason poll to place fourth, the same spot it finished at last year's RSC meet.
WVU Tech received 79 votes to place fifth in the poll and was followed right behind by IU East in sixth with 75 votes. At last year's conference meet, WVU Tech was sixth, and IU East was fifth.
IU Kokomo received 61 votes for seventh place, and Brescia (Ky.) University came in eight with 47 votes. Carlow (Pa.) University was next in ninth with 43 votes.
Rounding out the poll were Cincinnati Christian University (35 votes), Midway (Ky.) University (22 votes) and Alice Lloyd (Ky.) College (21 votes).
The RSC women's cross country season begins Aug. 25 with the first competition of the year for a conference school. Most schools open up the season Sept. 1-2.
The 2017 RSC Men's & Women's Cross Country Championship Meet is Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017 hosted by Asbury (Ky.) University. Now with 12 schools competing in men's cross country, that meet will qualify two RSC teams to the NAIA Men's Cross Country National Championship Nov. 18 in Vancouver, Wash.
Follow RSC women's cross country all season long at RiverStatesConference.com and on social media at Facebook.com/RiverStatesConference and on Twitter @RiverStatesConf hashtags #RSC #RSCXC #ReSpeCt
2017 RIVER STATES CONFERENCE WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL (Aug. 22)
(First-Place Votes in Parenthesis)
| School | Votes |
| 1. Rio Grande (Ohio) (6) | 112 |
| 2. Point Park (Pa.) (5) | 109 |
| 3. Asbury (Ky.) (1) | 98 |
| 4. Ohio Christian | 90 |
| 5. WVU Tech | 79 |
| 6. IU East | 75 |
| 7. IU Kokomo | 61 |
| 8. Brescia (Ky.) | 47 |
| 9. Carlow (Pa.) | 43 |
| 10. Cincinnati Christian | 35 |
| 11. Midway (Ky.) | 22 |
| 12. Alice Lloyd (Ky.) | 21 |