For Immediate Release
Thursday, August 25, 2016
NSIC Media Relations

Minnesota Duluth Selected as Preseason Favorite in NSIC Women's Cross Country Coaches' Poll

BURNSVILLE, Minn. - The defending NSIC Champions of the University of Minnesota Duluth were picked to win the NSIC in the preseason women's cross country coaches' poll. The Bulldogs received five first place votes and tallied 185 points, ranking them just ahead of Augustana and the University of Mary, which tied for second place (181) after both received five first place votes as well.

Northern State's Sasha Hovind was named NSIC Preseason Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive season. Hovind was the 2014 NSIC Champion, was third in 2015 and finished 13th at the NCAA National Championships a year ago.

The 2016 NSIC cross country season gets underway on Friday, September 2 with the regular season culminating on Saturday, October 22 at the NSIC Cross Country Championship held at Yankton Trails in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, hosted by Augustana University.
 

NSIC Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll	Points
1. Minnesota Duluth (5)	185
2. Augustana (5)	181
University of Mary (5)	181
4. Winona State	154
5. MSU Moorhead	141
6. Northern State	133
7. Minnesota State	123
8. St. Cloud State	96
9. Sioux Falls	93
10. Southwest Minnesota State	87
11. Minot State	55
12. Bemidji State	47
13. Concordia-St. Paul	44
14. Wayne State	30
15. Upper Iowa	25
first place votes in ( )

Sasha Hovind (Sr., Stirum, N.D. / North Sargent HS)
Northern State
- 2-time NCAA Cross Country All-American
- Finished 13^th at the NCAA National Championships in 2015 with a time of 20:50.40
- Finished 5^th at the NCAA Central Region Championships in 2015 with a time of 20:49.50
- Notched a third place mark at the NSIC Championships in 2015, in 22:19.30
- Named CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2015
- Member of the USTFCCA All-Academic Team
- 2014 NSIC Cross Country Champion
 

Augustana University Vikings

Last Year NSIC Finish	2016 Preseason Poll Prediction	2015 Preseason Poll Prediction
3rd	t-2nd	1st
Team Preview
The Augustana women's cross country looks to build off of a strong 2015 campaign entering the 2016 season. The women's cross country team is coming off third place finishes at the NSIC and NCAA Central Region meets last season. Augustana women's cross country made its 10th straight appearance at the NCAA Championships in 2015 and finished 13th in the country. Tracy Hellman will be at the helm for his 17th season as the women's cross country coach. Under Hellman his women's teams have won seven NSIC titles, one Central Region championship and placed in the top 10 nationally seven times, including winning the programs first National Championship in 2011. Leading the Vikings will be junior Leah Seivert. Seivert earned All-American, All-Central Region and All-NSIC honors last season. Seivert also excelled in the classroom earning CoSIDA Academic All-American honors and Academic All-NSIC. Augustana returns the core of their team from last season to go along with Seivert. Senior Carly Bauer, junior Annie Kruse, and sophomores Mackenzie Kelly and Courtney Hottovy look to push the Vikings back to the top. The cross country team will open the season on Friday, Sept. 2, hosting the Augustana Twilight at Yankton Trail Park.
Athlete to Watch
Leah Seivert (Jr., Sibley, Iowa / Sibley-Ocheyedan HS)
First meet
Friday, Sept. 2 at Augustana Twilight - 8 p.m.

Bemidji State University Beavers

Last Year NSIC Finish	2016 Preseason Poll Prediction	2015 Preseason Poll Prediction
12th	12th	12th
Team Preview
Bemidji State, which is in it's second season under the direction of Head Coach Kevin Kean, returns a lineup featuring six runners returning from a 2015 squad that finished 12th at the NSIC Championships and competed in the NCAA Central Regional Championship. Headlined by Sarone Paulzine, who had a strong freshman campaign in 2015, all returning BSU returners improved their respective 6,000-meter times by between one and three minutes a year ago and look to build upon that foundation. Kean has also added three newcomers to the mix including a pair of local freshman and BSU's 2016 Athlete to Watch, Vanessa Rae Lopez. The transfer from Mt. San Antonio College (Calif.), also competed for Adams State, where she claimed 13th place in the 1,500-meter run at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships with a personal-best time of 4:32.
Athlete to Watch
Vanessa Rae Lopez (Jr., Huntington, Calif. / Mt. San Antonio College / John A. Rowland HS)
First meet
Friday, Sept. 9 at Randy Smith Women's Meet - Dragon Twilight - 8:15 p.m.

Concordia University, St. Paul Golden Bears

Last Year NSIC Finish	2016 Preseason Poll Prediction	2015 Preseason Poll Prediction
14th	13th	13th
Team Preview
For the ninth time since 2005, the Golden Bear cross country program achieved the USTFCCCA Team Academic Award with the men and women each earning the honor. It's the fifth time since 2005 that the teams have earned the nod in the same season including three years in a row. Each program has earned the honor seven times in the last 11 years with the men achieving the mark every year since 2011. The team continues to be led by the longest tenured coach in the CSP athletics department as Jonathan Breitbarth returns for his 19th season. There is a lot of excitement in the program as the men will feature its biggest roster in Breitbarth's 19 seasons with an expected 15 student-athletes slated to be on the squad. "The summer has been productive for a number of our athletes, but it's gone really well for Erin (Spatenka) and Jordan (Gray)" noted Breitbarth of his top returners to watch this fall. The team will be boosted by big numbers combined with a strong infusion of talent within the large recruiting efforts. "The women's newcomer to watch will be Tasha Bennett from New Prague, Minn. But overall, we really expect that a number of underclassmen will contribute to our top five or top seven in the lineups." Breitbarth concluded, "As always, we encourage anyone in and around the Twin Ctiies to come out to the Griak on September 24th and look for the Concordia tent!"
Athlete to Watch
Erin Spatenka (Sr., Owatonna, Minn. / Owatonna HS)
First meet
Saturday, Sept. 4 at Crown College - 11 a.m.

University of Mary Marauders

Last Year NSIC Finish	2016 Preseason Poll Prediction	2015 Preseason Poll Prediction
2nd	t-2nd	3rd
Team Preview
Alexis Zeis starts the 2016 season as the defending National Champion. The All-American happened to be named to the NSIC All-Academic Team, make the All-Northern Sun first team as well as the NCAA/USTFCCCA All-Region team. And head coach Dennis Newell said that Zeis returning as the champion puts him in a good position as a coach. "We have a couple of nice transfers coming in," Newell said. "And we return everybody that we depended on and leaned on last year from the 12th place national team." The Marauders return 10 letter winners from last years team, and have only two seniors on the 2016 roster. A roster that includes three juniors, seven sophomores and nine freshmen. But the goal is the same for the UMary women's cross country team. "Our goal is always to improve from the previous year," Newell stated. "We'd like to get back to the national meet that would be exciting for us." Katelynn Engh who was also a big contributor last season for the Marauders will be returning for her senior season. Last season Engh made the NSIC All-Academic Team, she was named a USTFCCCA All-Academic Student-Athlete and found herself on the NCAA/USTFCCCA All-Region team. The Marauders will race in two meets in the month of September and after the Jimmie Invitational in early October, the team will head to the Northern Sun Championships on Oct. 22.
Athlete to Watch
Katelynn Engh (Sr., Moddock, N.D. / Benson County HS)
First meet
Friday, Sept. 9 at Moorhead Twilight - 8:15 p.m.

University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs

Last Year NSIC Finish	2016 Preseason Poll Prediction	2015 Preseason Poll Prediction
1st	1st	2nd
Team Preview
The Bulldogs captured their second NSIC title in three seasons last fall before taking part in their third consecutive NCAA II championship (and placing seventh). A pair of two-time All-Americans - junior Breanna Colbenson and Emi Trost - along with junior Amber Seidenkranz - are among the 10 letterwinners the Bulldogs retain from a year ago, but the only ones (of seven) who ran in the NCAA II national meet. Colbenson placed fifth at last year's NSIC meet and 30th at the NCAA II event while Trost was sixth and 29th, respectively, at those two meets. Joanna Warmington, who has directed the Bulldogs to four NCAA II championship appearances in her six seasons at the head coaching helm, is expecting a sizable infusion of new talent to pay benefits this fall with the likes of Abigail Moore, a sophomore transfer from Christian Brothers University, and freshman Maria Berg (New Prague High School), Sarah Harrison (Orono, Minn.), Melissa Drenckhan (Wayzata High School ) and Elizabeth Kyes (Cadot High School-Wis.).
Athlete to Watch
Breanna Colbenson (Sr., Elmwood, Wis. / Spring Valley HS)
First meet
Friday, Sept. 9 at Dragon Twilight Meet - 8:50 p.m.

Minnesota State University, Mankato Mavericks

Last Year NSIC Finish	2016 Preseason Poll Prediction	2015 Preseason Poll Prediction
7th	7th	7th
Team Preview
Minnesota State finished seventh at the NSIC Championships and completed the 2016 season with a 13th-place finish at the NCAA Division II Central Region meet. Veteran head coach Jen Blue, who enters her 17th year at the Maverick helm, welcomes back 14 letterwinners from last year's team. Sophomore Lily Paul turned in an 18th-place finish at the conference meet as Minnesota State's top individual. Junior Erin Baker, who was 25th at the league meet, was the top Maverick at the central regional championship with a 47th-place result. Sophomore Megan Serratore (77th at regions), junior Megan Allen (86th at regions), sophomore Josie Braaten (103rd at regions) and sophomore Jessica Boespflug (130th) at regions give Minnesota State six returnees with regional championship experience. The Mavericks are scheduled to open the 2016 campaign Sept. 2 at the Augustana Twilight meet.
Athlete to Watch
Lily Paul (So., Cedar Grove, Wis. / Cedar Grove-Belgium HS)
First meet
Friday, Sept. 2 at Augustana Twilight - 8 p.m.

Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons

Last Year NSIC Finish	2016 Preseason Poll Prediction	2015 Preseason Poll Prediction
6th	5th	5th
Team Preview
A trio of seniors lead the MSUM women into the 2016 campaign. Senior Molly Montonye, who missed most of the 2015 campaign with an injury and redshirted as a result, returns. Montonye is a three-time All-NSIC honoree, including earning first team honors in 2013 and 2014. Senior MaKenzie Smith had a strong 2015 season, earning All-NSIC first team honors and recording three top 10 finishes during the season. Smith has been All-NSIC twice in her career. Senior Mindy Kraft had two top 20 finishes last year, including a 13th-place finish at the Jimmie Invitational. MSUM returns three sophomores who were starters a year ago: Marissa Carlson, Alicia Swenson and Samantha Swenson. MSUM will look to improve upon a sixth-place finish at the NSIC Championships a year ago and an 11th-place finish in the region. Ryan Milner is in his sixth season as the Dragon cross country/associate track and field coach.
Athlete to Watch
Molly Montonye (Sr., Graceville, Minn./Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley HS)
First meet
Friday, Sept. 9 hosting the Dragon Twilight

Minot State University Beavers

Last Year NSIC Finish	2016 Preseason Poll Prediction	2015 Preseason Poll Prediction
11th	11th	t-9th
Team Preview
Minot State finished in 11th place overall at the 2015 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championships. The Beavers moved on to take 22nd at the NCAA Division II Central Region Championships two weeks later. MISU will look to replace graduate senior Allison Windish as she was 59th at the Central Region. But, returning are the Beavers next four runners from a year ago. Junior Emily Westlake finished 71st at the NSIC Championships last season with a time of 25 minutes, 47.5 seconds. She set a personal best at the regional, placing 140th overall. MISU had a group of runners in the middle of the pack as senior Samantha Huether and junior Patience Albertson joined Westlake with Huether finishing 59th and Albertson 83rd overall last season. Huether is MISU's top returning place winner from the Central Region Championships as she finished 106th overall. Stephanie Huether was just outside the top 100 in her first NSIC Championship as the sophomore finished 108th with a time of 28:06.9. Minot State will get a big boost from transfer Jana Warrick, who ran for NCAA Division I Southern Utah in 2015. The Beavers will look to move up the ranks at the NSIC Championships having finished eighth, ninth and 11th overall in the past three seasons.
Athlete to Watch
Emily Westlake (5-9, Jr., Gainesville, Fla. / P.K. Yonge)
First meet
Friday, Sept. 9 at MSU Moorhead Randy Smith Invite - 8:15 p.m.

Northern State University Wolves

Last Year NSIC Finish	2016 Preseason Poll Prediction	2015 Preseason Poll Prediction
5th	6th	6th
Team Preview
After a breakout season in 2015 the Northern State University cross country team returns to the course with six familiar faces and five incoming freshman. Seniors Sasha Hovind and Dakotah Bullen will look to return to the NCAA National Cross Country Championships where each have seen success over the years. Hovind will look to continue a solid career for the Wolves after earning All-American status the previous two seasons. The Stirum native finished 13th overall from the championships, finishing just 47 seconds after the leader. Bullen looks to return to the championships after a 56th place finish a season ago. The St. Francis native opened the season with a meet victory at the Dakota State Herb Blakely Invite in 2015. As a unit the women finished 10th overall from the Central Region meet, after receiving their first regional ranking in program history. Northern will open the 2016 season at home in the second annual Alumni Twilight.
Athlete to Watch
Sasha Hovind (Sr., Stirum, ND / North Sargent HS)
First meet
Friday, Sept. 2 at Northern State Alumni Twilight - 9:15 p.m.

University of Sioux Falls Cougars

Last Year NSIC Finish	2016 Preseason Poll Prediction	2015 Preseason Poll Prediction
7th	9th	t-9th
Team Preview
USF head women's cross country coach Doug Petersen believes that the USF women's team has a great chance of moving up in the league meet, led by a strong senior class and others who bring back solid experience. "I believe the strength of our team will be its ability to run as a pack group," said Petersen, who is in his first year as head coach. "They did it successfully a year ago. And, because they are so close, we can expect them to do that again and probably with greater success," he said. Leading the way will be seniors Jordin Kopplow (Adrian, Minn.) who finished 57th at the conference meet; Rachel Huffman (Potter, Neb.), who was 55th at the NSIC championships; and Laura Kunz (Owasso, Okla.), who ran with the top eight a year ago and could be among the top five scorers this year. While senior Kylie Herlihy (Arroyo Grande, Calif.) is being redshirted, the team will look for solid performances from juniors Kianna Hein (Sioux Falls, S.D.), who was 65th at the league meet, along with Tenley Schwartz (Wells, Minn.), who was 42nd at the league meet. In addition, two sophomores will add substantial strength to the unit as Rebecca Goertzen (Lake City, Minn.) was 62nd at the NSIC and Keegan Day (Billings, Mont.), was USF's top finisher at the NSIC meet at 33rd.
Athlete to Watch
Jordin Kopplow (Sr., Adrian, Minn. / Adrian HS)
First meet
Friday, Sept. 2 at Augustana Twilight - 8 p.m

Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs

Last Year NSIC Finish	2016 Preseason Poll Prediction	2015 Preseason Poll Prediction
10th	10th	11th
Team Preview
Southwest Minnesota State begins its fifth season of women's cross country since reinstating the program prior to the 2012 season. Senior Hannah Palmeter leads the way for SMSU after earning NSIC Newcomer of the Year, All-NSIC and all-region accolades in 2015. Palmeter placed fourth at the NSIC Championships with a time of 22:37 and became the first SMSU runner to earn all-conference honors at the Division II level. Palmeter placed 18th at the NCAA Region meet with a time of 21:46. Junior Savannah Ramirez returns after finishing 62nd at the NSIC meet last season, along with junior Jen Keohen and senior Amanda Grengs, who both were one of the team's top runners a season ago. Head coach Dan Allen begins his second season at SMSU in 2016.
Athlete to Watch
Hannah Palmeter (Sr., Bessemer, Mich. / Wright HS / North Iowa Area C.C.)
First meet
Friday, Sept. 2 at Augustana Twilight - 8 p.m.

St. Cloud State University Huskies

Last Year NSIC Finish	2016 Preseason Poll Prediction	2015 Preseason Poll Prediction
9th	8th	8th
Team Preview
St. Cloud State women's cross country program, after finishing ninth last season at the conference meet, returns two of their stronger runners from a year ago in seniors Rachel Sakry and Sam Sunstrom. Sunstrom had an outstanding spring season during the outdoor track campaign including qualifying and being a Second Team All-American in the 10,000m. Sunstorm's best finish during last season's cross country season was a 23:10 that was good for 7th place at the meet held by Wisconsin River Falls to start the season. Sakry had her best finish of the season in running a 23:13.50 at the NCAA Central Regional in the program's final run of 2015. SCSU returns a total of five runners this season in Sunstrom, Sakry, junior Maria Hauer, junior Zia Matti and senior Kaylee Roelike. The program also has five newcomers including a pair of transfers in junior McKenzie Holt (Minnesota Duluth) and sophomore Ally Schwark (North Dakota State). Head cross country coach Sam Kettenhofen returns for his second season leading the program. The program will compete in four regular season meets this season including hosting the Bob Waxlax Invitational on Oct. 7 at Wapicada Golf Course.
Athlete to Watch
Sam Sunstrom (Sr., Sauk Rapids, Minn. / Sauk Rapids-Rice HS)
First meet
Friday, Sept. 9 at Falcon Invitational - 7 p.m.

Upper Iowa University Peacocks

Last Year NSIC Finish	2016 Preseason Poll Prediction	2015 Preseason Poll Prediction
13th	15th	15th
Team Preview
Senior Chandra Smith will lead the Peacock women's cross country team into the 2016 campaign. Smith returns for her fourth season with Upper Iowa after posting the third best time for the Peacocks during the NSIC and NCAA Regional Championships. The Bloomfield, Iowa native ran her 6K at the NSIC Championships in 27:16.9 on a hilly course in St. Paul, Minn. and then improved by two minutes (25:21.7) at the NCAA Regional in Joplin, Mo. UIU continued to improve in the programs' third year back on campus. Upper Iowa placed 13th in the 15-team field at the Northern Sun Conference Championships and 29th out of 31 at the NCAA Central Region Championships. The Peacocks graduated their top runner last season; Bethani Jacobsen finished in 92nd individually at the NCAA Regional and set a new personal- and school-record for the 6K run with a time of 23:32.55, beating the record set by MeKenzie Coppage of 24:02.13 at the 2013 NSIC Championship. Returning to the lineup this fall in addition to Smith are seniors Mekenzie Coppage, Paige Davis, Bridget Dolan, Taylor Doermann, junior Caitlin Fields and sophomore Alyssa Weber.
Athlete to Watch
Chandra Smith (Sr., Bloomfield, Iowa/Davis County HS)
First meet
Saturday, Sept. 3 at Saint Mary's University Invite - 9 a.m.

Wayne State College Wildcats

Last Year NSIC Finish	2016 Preseason Poll Prediction	2015 Preseason Poll Prediction
15th	14th	14th
Team Preview
The Wayne State College women's cross country team has eight runners on this year's team for 17th year head coach Marlon Brink. The 2016 Wildcat squad will feature a unique mix of bringing back the team's top runner to go with three freshmen who will be competing in cross country for the first time following successful high school track careers as distance runners. This year's roster features three seniors, one sophomore and four freshmen. The team's top returner is senior Andrea DeSimone, who was Wayne State's top finisher in all six meets last season. Other seniors on the team are Mary Alderson (Fremont Bergan) and Melissa Kroll (Dunlap, Iowa), who both competed in cross country for the first time last season to help the Wildcats build depth. Sophomore Sarah Post is the only other upperclassman on the Wildcat roster. Jamie Larson of Bondurant-Farrar High School in Iowa is one of four freshmen on this year's team and will be a top five scorer for the Wildcats according to Coach Brink. The other three freshmen that fill out the roster will be competing in cross country for the first time following stellar distance careers in high school track and field. They include Lexi Oswald of Allen, Josephine Peitz from Wakefield and Taylor Rystrom of Cross County High School.
Athlete to Watch
Andrea DeSimone (Sr., Plattsmouth, Neb. / Plattsmouth HS)
First meet
Friday, Sept. 2 at Augustana Twilight - 8 p.m.

Winona State University Warriors