Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy and Cowgirl Cross Country Each Crack Top-3 of USTFCCCA National Preseason Poll
August 30, 2023 | Cowgirl Cross Country & Track
STILLWATER โย Oklahoma State men's and women's cross country each enter the season ranked in the Top-3 of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Preseason Coaches Poll, the organization announced Wednesday.
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The Cowboys come in at No. 2 after finishing the 2022 season tied with Northern Arizona atop the leaderboard at the NCAA Championships in Stillwater. OSU returns three cross country All-Americans to the lineup in Alex Maier (5thย at NCAAs), Fouad Messaoudi (12th) and Victor Shitsama (31st). The Cowboys are three-time defending Big 12 Champions and Maier is the returning individual conference champion and Big 12 Runner of the Year after his dominant 2022 campaign. The No. 2 ranking is tied for the highest preseason ranking since 2013, when the Cowboys entered as No. 1.
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The Cowgirls enter the 2023 season ranked No. 3, their highest preseason ranking in program history after earning their first team trophy at the NCAA Championships in 2022. The two-time defending Big 12 Champions return three-time cross country All-American Taylor Roe and six runners from the 2022 NCAA squad. Cross country All-American Molly Born also returns to the fold after missing last season. Born finished 16thย at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in 2019.
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Both the Cowboys and Cowgirls were also ranked No. 1 in the Midwest Regional rankings after finishing the 2022 season as the highest-placing teams in the region at the NCAA Championships. The Cowgirls took home the Midwest Regional Championship last season, defeating second-place Northwestern by 30 points overall.ย
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For more information on the Cowboys and Cowgirls, continue to check back withย okstate.com.
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The Cowboys come in at No. 2 after finishing the 2022 season tied with Northern Arizona atop the leaderboard at the NCAA Championships in Stillwater. OSU returns three cross country All-Americans to the lineup in Alex Maier (5thย at NCAAs), Fouad Messaoudi (12th) and Victor Shitsama (31st). The Cowboys are three-time defending Big 12 Champions and Maier is the returning individual conference champion and Big 12 Runner of the Year after his dominant 2022 campaign. The No. 2 ranking is tied for the highest preseason ranking since 2013, when the Cowboys entered as No. 1.
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The Cowgirls enter the 2023 season ranked No. 3, their highest preseason ranking in program history after earning their first team trophy at the NCAA Championships in 2022. The two-time defending Big 12 Champions return three-time cross country All-American Taylor Roe and six runners from the 2022 NCAA squad. Cross country All-American Molly Born also returns to the fold after missing last season. Born finished 16thย at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in 2019.
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Both the Cowboys and Cowgirls were also ranked No. 1 in the Midwest Regional rankings after finishing the 2022 season as the highest-placing teams in the region at the NCAA Championships. The Cowgirls took home the Midwest Regional Championship last season, defeating second-place Northwestern by 30 points overall.ย
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For more information on the Cowboys and Cowgirls, continue to check back withย okstate.com.
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