2017 GAC Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll

BETHANY, Okla. — After finishing fourth in the 2016 Great American Conference Championships, Southern Nazarene was picked by the coaches in the GAC to finish fifth in the 2017 Preseason Poll.
 
The Crimson Storm will have to replace only one senior from the previous season in Blake Wieczorek. However, they do return a host of runners including Cody Jones, Luis Guerra, Aaron Brinegar, Garrison Bluhm, Evan Wilson, Austin Flemming, John Zehr, and Jarrod Ferguson who all competed in the 2016 GAC Championships.
 
East Central was picked in the top spot in the GAC, as the Tigers received five of the possible seven first-place votes. Harding received the other two, as they were picked to finish second. East Central took home the 2016 GAC Championship, and finished seventh at the NCAA Central Regional. The Tigers return two All-Region runners in Kevin Matthews and Cole Montgomery, as each of them finished inside the top-20 at the NCAA Central Regional.
 
Oklahoma Baptist took third in the poll receiving 25 votes. The Bison will now be eligible for the GAC Championship in the upcoming 2017 season. Seven points ahead of the Crimson Storm is Southern Arkansas, who was picked fourth at 23.
 
Northwestern Oklahoma State and Arkansas-Monticello were picked sixth and seventh respectively, to round out the poll.
 
Southern Nazarene begins its 2017 campaign Sept. 2, at the SNU/SWOSU 3K/5K Dual held in Bethany, Okla.