CHAMPAIGN, IL – The Fighting Illini men's cross country team will begin the 2017 season ranked 27th nationally, as the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its preseason poll on Tuesday afternoon. Illinois also enters the season tabbed third in the Midwest region, which was announced on Monday.
Tallying 75 votes, the Illini are one of three Big Ten schools ranked to begin the year, joining 2016 NCAA Championship participants No. 7 Wisconsin and No. 23 Michigan State. Michigan, Indiana and Minnesota also received votes from the USTFCCCA. The complete USTFCCCA rankings can be found here.
Having received votes in each of the last four USTFCCCA preseason polls, this is the first preseason ranking to feature the Illini under Head Coach Jake Stewart. Last season, the Illini placed 23rd at NCAA Championships, their first appearance since 1986. The Illini made their debut in the weekly poll on October 4, tied for 29th with Middle Tennessee, following the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invite, and reached as high as 24th heading into NCAA Championships.
Regionally, Coach Stewart's team enters the season ranked third in the Midwest behind nationally ranked No. 10 Oklahoma State and Iowa State. Ranked fourth behind the Illini, Tulsa opens the season ranked No. 20 nationally. The complete regional rankings can be found here.
The Illini return five of their seven runners from the national meet, as well as six runners who finished in the top-50 at Big Ten Championships. Of the 31 teams at NCAA Championships, the Illini were one of four teams to feature five or more underclassmen, joining Iowa State, Virginia and Southern Utah.
The Fighting Illini open up the season in one week, as they race at the Eastern Illinois Walt Crawford Open on Friday, September 1. The women's race begins at 4:45 p.m. central time, followed by the men at 5:30 p.m.
For complete coverage of Fighting Illini cross country, visit FightingIllini.com, follow the Illini on Twitter (@IlliniMXC and @IlliniWXC) and Instagram (@IlliniMXC and @IlliniWXC) and like Fighting Illini Men's Cross Country and Fighting Illini Women's Cross Country on Facebook.
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