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ST. LOUIS – The Bradley men and Northern Iowa and Bradley women have been selected as the 2017 favorites by a vote of Missouri Valley Conference cross country coaches in their annual preseason poll. The Bradley men will try for their third title as the Panthers and Braves will look for their third and fourth title, respectively.

For the first time in league history, the MVC Cross Country Championship will be aired on The Valley on ESPN3, the league’s co-branded digital network with ESPN. Cross Country becomes the ninth postseason league championship distributed through The Valley on ESPN3 as it joins women’s and men’s soccer, volleyball, indoor and outdoor track and field, women’s basketball, softball and baseball.

After winning the last two MVC Cross Country Championships and returning six of eight runners, the league coaches picked Bradley to once again defend their title in 2017. The Braves received all nine first-place votes and a total of 81 points.  Michael Ward returns for his senior season after he finished second at the MVC Championship, ninth at the NCAA Midwest Regional and 71st at the NCAA Championship a year ago. Sophomore Jake Hoffert (2016 MVC Men’s Freshman of the Year; third at the 2016 MVC Championship) and senior Taylor Floyd Mews (sixth at the 2016 MVC Championship) will help lead Bradley’s veteran team. Adding depth will be Dan Gagne, Mike Bianchina and Alec Hartman who are all returning from a redshirt year.

Illinois State was picked second in the poll earning 68 points. The Redbirds lost three of their top-five runners but return junior Kyle Mattes who finished fourth at the MVC Championship a year ago as well as being one of the top-five Missouri Valley Conference finishers at the NCAA Midwest Regional (27th-place).  Kevin Koski will help lead Illinois State on the trails after being one of the top-finishers for the team at the 2016 MVC Championship (27th-place) and NCAA Midwest Regional (92nd-place).

Indiana State came in a close third-place with 65 points.  The Sycamores return three runners from the 2016 MVC Championship team that took third. Leading the pack will be Akis Medrano (2016 All-Conference First Team, seventh-place in the MVC), junior Quentin Pierce and sophomore Seth Cousins. Pierce took 18th-place at the MVC Championship a year ago and Cousins came in 20th.

Loyola notched the No. 4 spot in the coaches poll, tallying 52 points.  Alex Baker was the first Rambler to cross the finish-line in 2016 at the MVC Championship, taking ninth place and earning All-Conference First Team honors. Redshirt sophomore Kevin White willl look to make an impact on this year’s team after coming off a great indoor and outdoor track and field campaign.

Securing fifth-place and 44 points is Northern Iowa. The Panthers will be a young team this season as their top-two returners, CJ May and Ethan Smith, are both sophomores.  Two newcomers, Wal Kat and Alan Jackson, will be able to make an immediate impact.

Drake took sixth in the coaches poll with 32 points. The Bulldogs lost Reed Fischer, last year’s MVC Champion and Male Athlete of the Year to graduation but return four scorer’s from a year ago.  Back for Drake will be Joshua Yeager, Kyle Brandt, Kyle Cass and Chris Kaminski.

Only a few points back in the poll is Southern Illinois, securing seventh-place and 30 points. The Salukis return six runners from the Valley Championship a year ago. Josh Maier will lead the pack for Southern Illinois as he is the top-finisher from the squad a year ago. Joining him will be Jon Vara and Chris Edwards.

Valparaiso was chosen eighth with 21 points and Evansville rounds out the men’s poll in ninth with 12 points.

Showing the way for for the Crusaders will be juniors Alexander Bruno, Jack Mader and Ben Zibricky along with sophomore Victor Fortin. Valparaiso has two key newcomers to the team that look to improve the squad.

Evansville will be a young team this season as their Championship leadership will come from one junior and two sohpomores returning. The Purple Aces have seven newcomers to the team that will look to Ricky Hendrix for guidance on the trails.



After winning the MVC Women’s Cross Country Championship a year ago, Northern Iowa was one of the teams picked to win in 2017 with six first-place votes and 94 points. The Panthers will have great depth this season as they return four of their top-five runners, with three of those having received All-Conference First Team Honors at the 2016 MVC Championship. Senior Ashley Norem is the top-returner for UNI as she had the best performance for the team at the MVC Championship last season, coming in sixth. Also providing leadership for the team will be 2016 Women’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year, Hannah Truniger (sophomore, ninth-place in 2016) and Brette Correy (RS Senior, tenth-place in 2016).

Bradley, also earned 94 points and tabbed as a preseason favorite, received four first-place votes. The Braves return a veteran team with four of their top-five runners back for another year. Hannah Witczak finished fifth at last year’s MVC Championship and was the fourth-best Valley finisher at the NCAA Midwest Regional.  Two 2016 All-Conference Honorable Mention team members, Erin Gallagher and Sara Piller will provide additional championship experience. Gallagher, a sophomore, finished 11th while Piller, a junior, took 14th. After a solid freshman campaign, Kirstin Oakley will make great contributions this year.

Indiana State was tabbed in the third spot as they received 79 points. The Sycamores welcome back their first-four runners to cross the finish line last year, including three All-Conference performances. At the 2016 MVC Championship, Brooke Moore placed third (43rd at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional), Taylor Austin claimed 12th-place and Allie Workman took 15th.  

Illinois State tallied 70 points and fourth-place in the poll as they return all but one runner.  Leading the way for the Redbirds will be Grace Beattie (17th-place), Erica Brown (21st-place), Ashley England (27th) and Lindsay Lewis (34th). A few newcomers to the team will have the chance to learn from their guidance.

Loyola came in fifth-place earning 59 points.  The Ramblers have a lot of experience and depth returning as they bring back their full squad. Providing senior guidance will be Emma Hatch (13th-place, All-Conference Honorable Mention) and Cassie Bloch. Lindsey Brewis looks to come back strong as she redshirted during the 2016 campaign.

Southern Illinois is picked sixth with a total of 47 points while they welcome back everyone from their Conference Championship team. The Salukis will be under the leadership of seniors Kelly O’Shea and Natalia Hajduk as well as redshirt juniors Shannon Effron and Claire Darnell.

Missouri State notched the No. 7 spot in the coaches poll, tallying 42 points. Senior Jessica Allen will be the lead runner for the Bears after being their first-finisher a year ago. Missouri State will have four newcomers to the team this season vying for one of the top-five spots.

Drake was chosen eighth with 35 points, while Evansville earned ninth having 17 points and Valparaiso rounded out the poll in tenth (13 points).

Drake returns their top-six from the Valley Championship in 2016 but will be a young team with only one senior on the roster.  The Bulldogs top competitor will be Bailee Cofer.

Evansville’s top-two runners from a season ago, Sienna Crews and Hannah Welsh will once again lead the team.  The Puplre Aces welcome five freshman who could make an immediate impact.

Valparaiso will be anchored by their top returners Nicole Berneche (sophomore), Kim Heiny (senior) and Kate Mitchell (sophomore).