St. Louis – The Missouri State cross country team is picked to finish fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason coaches' poll that the league released on Tuesday (Aug. 20).
 
"I think we have a lot to prove", says head coach Jordan Fife.  "I know we have a very motivated group of student-athletes who are anxiously awaiting the opportunity to show what we're capable of."
 
Bradley was selected as the frontrunner for the 2019 season as they received eight first-place votes.  The Braves won the MVC Cross Country Championship last season. 
 
Illinois State collected the remaining two first-place votes as they grabbed the second spot.  Loyola rounds out the top-3 by receiving 84 overall points in the preseason poll.
 
MSU (60) finished five points short of the fourth place ranking held by Indiana State (65).  Northern Iowa is slated to finish sixth, followed by Southern Illinois and Drake.  Valparaiso and Evansville close out the final two slots in the poll.
 
"This is the deepest that I've seen the Valley since I've been at Missouri State", says Fife, who is in his sixth season as cross country head coach.  "I'm confident in our team that we'll be at our best when we need to be at the championship."
 
Missouri State placed sixth at the MVC Cross Country Championships last season.  Returners, Grace Breiten and Erica Wollmering finished in the top-25 at the conference meet to lead a group of 13 returnees on Fife's 2019 roster.
 
The Bears open up the cross country season with the Mizzou Opener on Friday, Aug. 30 in Columbia, Mo., in a fall season that culminates with the MVC Championship meet in Valparaiso, Ind., on Nov. 2.