MSU Men’s Cross Country Ranked 25th in National Preseason Poll
8/27/2024 12:00:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
Coming off a 13th place result at the NCAA Championships last year, the Bobcat men earn a national preseason ranking for the third consecutive year
BOZEMAN, Mont. -- Montana State men's cross country will enter the 2024 season ranked 25th in the preseason edition of the USTFCCCA National Coaches' Poll, released on Tuesday.
The selection marks the third straight season the Bobcat men have earned a preseason national ranking. The full 2024 preseason poll can be viewed here.
Montana State finished 13th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships last November in Charlottesville, Virginia, their best result in program history since finishing 11th in 2002.
MSU has ascended to national prominence under head coach Lyle Weese, finishing 26th at the NCAA Championships in 2022 before their 13th place result last year. The back-to-back appearances at the national meet is a first in program history.
The Bobcats had three finish in the top-75 individually in Virginia, with Matthew Richtman (26th), Ben Perrin (53rd) and Owen Smith (72nd) pacing the way.
After becoming MSU's second-ever two-time All-American in cross country (Shannon Butler), Richtman is no longer wearing the Blue and Gold. However, Weese returns eight of his top nine runners from a season ago, including Perrin, Smith, and 2023 Big Sky Freshman of the Year Sam Ells
Three-time 3,000 meter steeplechase All-American Levi Taylor and two-time steeplechase All-American Rob McManus also return as favorites to be scoring runners, with sophomore Harvey Cramb looking to build on his phenomenal freshman campaign.
The Stride Report also included Montana State's men in their preseason national rankings, slotting the Bobcats at No. 22. Montana State's men were slotted fifth in the preseason USTFCCCA Mountain Region Coaches' Poll, while the Bobcat women were ranked 12th.
Both MSU's men and women were picked second behind national power Northern Arizona in the preseason Big Sky Coaches' Poll.
Montana State opens up the 2024 season at home this Friday, hosting the MSU Bobcat Twilight meet at Dyche Field.
The pair of 5-kilometer races get underway with the men at 7:20pm followed by the women at 7:45pm. Admission is free.
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