NORMAL, Ill. – With the start of the 2018 cross country campaign a mere four days away, the Redbird men's cross country team has been ranked No. 12 in the Midwest Region, the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA) announced Monday via their regional rankings.
The Redbirds enter the first USTFCCCA Cross Country Regional Ranking of the 2018 season in the same position that they ended last year, after finishing 12th at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Midwest Regional. The Illinois State men, who only lost two student-athletes from the 2017 roster to graduation, placed third in the Valley last season, the team's highest MVC finish since 2015.
Among the returners is Kyle Mattes, who became the first Redbird to qualify for the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in 15 years last fall. The Birds' also return Cody Baele, Jack Anstey, and Scott Anderson, who finished 17th, 20th, and 21st, respectively at the 2017 MVC Cross Country Championships. To view the entire 2018 ISU cross country preview, click here.
Heading into the 2018 slate, the Redbird men were selected to finish second in the Valley, per the MVC preseason coaches' poll. Valley-favorite Bradley also cracked the USTFCCCA's regional rankings, coming in at No. 5 in the Midwest Region. Indiana State, who competes in the Great Lakes Region, received the No. 11 spot.
Three MVC women's cross country teams were also recognized in the USTFCCCA's Regional Rankings, with No. 5 Bradley, No. 8 UNI, and No. 12 Indiana State all making the list in their respective regions.
The Illinois State men's and women's cross country teams will open the 2018 season Friday when they travel to Iowa City, Iowa, to compete in the Hawkeye Invitational. The women's 4K is slated for a 6 p.m. start, with the men's 6K following at 6:45 p.m. More information will follow on GoRedbirds.com later this week.
To view the entire USTFCCCA Regional Rankings list, head to ustfccca.org. For more information on the entire Redbird Track & Field and Cross Country program, follow @Redbird_TrackXC on Twitter or visit GoRedbirds.com.
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