KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Rogers State women's cross country were picked to finish fourth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll with men's cross country picked to finish 10th, the league announced on Friday.
 
Finishing last season in fourth place at the MIAA Championships, the best finish since joining the conference, the Hillcat women were tabbed to finish in the same spot for the 2023 season with 108 points in the poll.
 
Defending MIAA champion Pittsburg State was selected to finish atop the league again in the poll, garnering 10 first place votes and 139 points. Nebraska-Kearney (130 points, one first place vote), Northwest Missouri (115 points), RSU and Missouri Southern (104 points, two first place votes) closed out the top five.
 
Fort Hays State (102 points), Central Missouri (73 points), Missouri Western (66 points), Washburn (60 points) and Emporia State (48 points) rounded out the top 10. Newman (34 points), Central Oklahoma (23 points) and Lincoln (12 points) were also featured in the poll.
 
After finishing in ninth place at the conference meet last year, the Hillcat men were picked to finish 10th in the league in this season's poll with 25 points.
 
For the sixth-straight season, Missouri Southern has been tabbed to be the top team in the league with seven first place votes and 96 points. Nebraska-Kearney (88 points, three first place votes), Pittsburg State (83 points), Washburn (71 points) and Northwest Missouri (62 points, one first place vote) closed out the top five.
 
Central Missouri (61 points), Missouri Western (48 points), Emporia State (32 points), Fort Hays State (29 points) and RSU rounded out the top 10. Newman (10 points) were also featured in the poll.
 
The Hillcats open the 2023 slate at home on Thursday, Aug. 31 as they host the RSU Invitational at Mohawk Sports Park in Tulsa, Okla. The women's three-mile race is set to start at 10 p.m. with the men's four-mile race set for 10:30 p.m.