Fitchburg State Cross Country Earn Top Three In Pre-Season Poll

Men's team selected second overall; Women place tied for third

FITCHBURG, Mass. – The Fitchburg State men's and women's cross country teams were recently ranked among the top three teams in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASACAC) Pre-Season Coaches Poll as voted by the league coaches.

The Fitchburg State men's team finished second overall in the rankings with 28 total points, including one first place ballot, while the women came in tied for third with a total of 21 points.

On the men's side, Westfield State is looking to defend their title from last year, capturing six first place votes to amass 36 points in this year's poll to edge out second place Fitchburg State's total of 28 points, which include the remaining first place vote. Bridgewater State and Worcester State followed in third and fourth place with 26 and 22 points, respectively. Massachusetts Maritime was selected to finish in fifth place with 14 points just ahead of MCLA's sixth place total of 11 points. Framingham State round out this year's poll in seventh place with ten points.

On the women's side, Westfield State claimed five of the seven first place ballots to amass 35 points in this year's poll, while Bridgewater State collected 32 points that included the two remaining first place votes for second place. Fitchburg State, Worcester State and Framingahm State landed in a three-way tie for third in the poll, collecting 21 points each, while Mass. Maritime followed in the sixth position with a total of ten points. MCLA closed out this year's poll in seventh place with seven points.

The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, the nation's oldest Division III men's and women's playing conference, has a rich and storied tradition of competitive success while celebrating excellence in the classroom. MASCAC member schools include Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, MCLA, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Salem State University, Westfield State University and Worcester State University. Two other institutions, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Plymouth State University, are affiliate members of the conference in the sports of football and men's ice hockey, while Western Connecticut State University will join the conference as an affiliate member in football beginning in 2013-14.

The Fitchburg State men's and women's cross country teams open their 2015 season on Saturday, September 5th as they hosts their annual Jim Sheehan Alumni Invitational Meet at 10:30 a.m. at the Doyle Conservation Center in Leominster.

PORTIONS OF RELEASE COURTESY OF THE MASCAC