RSC Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll: Point Park predicted to repeat
MIDDLETOWN, Ohio -- Point Park University is predicted to repeat as league champions and tops the 2018 River States Conference Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll. Voting was conducted by the RSC's head coaches prior to the first competition for any school.
Point Park was mentioned on nine ballots as the first-place team and received a total of 109 votes. The Pioneers won the conference championship in 2017 and 2015 and returns several all-conference performers.
Ohio Christian University, the 2017 RSC runner-up, was next in second place in the poll. The Trailblazers received the remaining two first-place votes and 102 votes in all. OCU qualified for the national meet along with Point Park last year as the RSC's representatives.
University of Rio Grande (Ohio) received 90 votes and is a clear pick for third in the conference. Asbury (Ky.) University was next in fourth place with 77 votes. The next three schools received similar voting with IU Kokomo in fifth place with 62 votes and IU East and WVU Tech in a tie for sixth with 60 votes.
Cincinnati Christian University (42 votes), Brescia (Ky.) University (40) and Carlow (Pa.) University (39) were also very even as the next group. That was followed by Alice Lloyd (Ky.) College (24 votes) and Midway (Ky.) University (18).
The 2018 RSC Championship will take place Nov. 3 at Yellow Creek Park in Owensboro, Ky., and it will be hosted by Brescia University. The RSC team champion will automatically qualify for the NAIA National Championship and the RSC runner-up will as well if it receives Top 30 mention in the final national rankings.
Follow River States Conference Cross Country all season long at RiverStatesConference.com and on social media @RiverStatesConf on Twitter hashtag #RSCXC and at Facebook.com/RiverStatesConference
2018 RIVER STATES CONFERENCE WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
(First-Place Votes in Parenthesis)
| School | Votes |
| 1. Point Park (Pa.) (9) | 109 |
| 2. Ohio Christian (2) | 102 |
| 3. Rio Grande (Ohio) | 90 |
| 4. Asbury (Ky.) | 77 |
| 5. IU Kokomo | 62 |
| T-6 IU East | 60 |
| T-6. WVU Tech | 60 |
| 8. Cincinnati Christian | 42 |
| 9. Brescia (Ky.) | 40 |
| 10. Carlow (Pa.) | 39 |
| 11. Alice Lloyd (Ky.) | 24 |
| 12. Midway (Ky.) | 18 |