ST. LOUIS – The Illinois State men's and women's cross country programs were each selected to finish third in the annual Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, as announced by the conference on Friday morning.
In the men's poll, Bradley was picked to finish first among the league's nine programs, garnering 78 points, including six first-place votes. On the women's side, Loyola was selected to take home the championship with nine first-place votes and 99 total points
The Redbird men, who captured the MVC Cross Country team title less than a year ago, will look to defend their championship on their home course. The men's program notched 62 total points and earned one first-place vote. The women's team amassed 76 points.
Despite losing reigning MVC champion Kevin Koski and All-MVC performers Kimathi Johnson and Jack Anstey, the Illinois State men return three All-Valley performers. Charlie Wetzel enters as the men's top returner from a season ago. Wetzel, the Hudson, Illinois native, finished fourth at the 2020 MVC Cross Championships to earn All-MVC honors. He was also named as the MVC Men's Cross Country Freshman of the Year, as the top freshman runner at the championship race.
Alongside Wetzel, Jake Gillum and Tyler Klouda are set to return, having earned All-Valley Honorable Mention honors with 11th and 14th-place finishes at last year's championships. Gillum and Klouda both have experience on the national level, having also competed at the 2019 NCAA Midwest Regional.
Junior Matt Blanco also returns for the Redbirds, coming off a 20th-place finish at last year's MVC Championships. In 2019, Blanco finished as the top ISU runner in 11th overall to earn All-MVC Honorable Mention honors. The ISU men's team will return 11 from last season and welcome six newcomers.
The Redbird women return the entirety of its scorers from the MVC Championships last season, with senior Rachel Hickey leading the way as ISU's top finisher at last year's championships. Hickey, the Peru, Ill. native, placed 11th at the MVC Championships to take home All-Valley Honorable Mention honors.
At the 2018 and 2019 MVC Championships, Hickey finished eighth overall in both races to take home All-MVC honors in consecutive seasons. Hickey has also raced on the national stage, qualifying for the NCAA Midwest Regional as a freshman and sophomore.
Junior Maddi Exline posted her highest finish ever at the last season's MVC Championships, finishing 17th overall, just two spots shy of All-Valley Honorable Mentions honors. The Redbird women are set return 11 athletes and welcome eight newcomers.
The Illinois State cross country program opens the 2021 season on Friday, September 6 at the University of Iowa for the Hawkeye Invitational. The first race is set to begin at 5 p.m. CT.
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