RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The East Central University men's cross country team has been selected first in the Great American Conference Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches.
The Tigers earned five of the six first place votes for a total of 35 points. Oklahoma Baptist was a close second, with one first place vote and 32 points.
Southern Arkansas was third (25 points), Harding fourth (21 points), Southern Nazarene fifth (17 points), Northwestern Oklahoma State sixth (11 points) and Arkansas-Monticello was seventh (six points).
ECU, who has won six of the eight GAC Men's Cross Country Championships, will return eight runners from 2018 and have 10 newcomers. The Tigers also lost four runners, including Larry Filler who was named the GAC Runner of the Year and to the All-GAC First Team a year ago.
The Tigers, who is ranked No. 9 in the Central Region rankings, bring back three 2018 All-GAC selections. Eliud Koech and Jakaveon Shaw placed second and third at last year's GAC Championships. Shaw added the GAC Freshman of the Year honor to his postseason accolades. Koech added a 14th-place finish at the NCAA Regionals to result in him earning USTFCCA All-Region status. Carson Sandvik landed on the All-GAC Second Team.
ECU will open the 2019 season, Saturday, Sept. 7 at the UCO Land Run. The Tigers will compete against three other teams from the GAC, with Northwestern, Oklahoma Baptist and Southern Nazarene running in the race.
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