INDIANAPOLIS – Lewis University was voted in the preseason coaches’ poll as the choice to win the 2024 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) men’s cross country title, the league office announced on Friday.
The preseason poll is selected by the league’s head coaches, who, per GLVC Bylaws, are not permitted to vote for their own team.
No. 1 Lewis
- Received 11 first-place votes and 142 total points.
- Won their 16th conference championship at GLVC Championship, placing runner-up at NCAA Division II Midwest Regional and 21st at NCAA Championship last season.
- Coached by James Kearney, who enters his 15th season and was voted 2023 GLVC Coach of the Year.
- Top-two returners include All-GLVC honorees Sean Ryan and GLVC Freshman of the Year Evan Horgan.
- Ryan placed seventh at the GLVC Championship and 11th at the NCAA Regional in 2023.
- Horgan placed fourth at the GLVC Championship and 19th at the NCAA Regional in 2023.
No. 2 Illinois Springfield
- Received one first-place votes and 127 total points.
- Placed second at the GLVC Championship, placing fifth at NCAA Division II Midwest Regional and 18th at NCAA Championships last season.
- Coached by Emmons King, who enters his third season.
- Top-two returners include All-GLVC honorees Briar Nevills and Ryan Jones.
- Nevills placed 10th at the GLVC Championship and 39th at the NCAA Regional in 2023.
- Jones placed 17th at the GLVC Championship and 71st at the NCAA Regional in 2023.
No. 3 Drury
- Received one first-place vote and 123 total points.
- Finished third at GLVC Championship and ninth at NCAA Division II Midwest Regional last season.
- Coached by Luke Karamitros, who enters his first season.
- Top-two returners include All-GLVC honorees Tyler Harris and Thomas Shuster.
- Harris placed eighth overall at the GLVC Championship and 37th at the NCAA Regional in 2023.
- Shuster placed ninth at the GLVC Championship and 43rd at the NCAA Regional in 2023.
No. 4 Missouri S&T
- Received 103 total points.
- Finished fifth at GLVC Championship and 20th at NCAA Division II Midwest Regional last season.
- Coached by Cameron Knudsen, who enters his first season.
- Top-two returners include Joshua Nunn and Sam Patterson.
- Nunn placed 35th at the GLVC Championship in 2023.
- Patterson placed 44th at the GLVC Championship in 2023.
Rounding out the poll respectively in fifth through 13th was Southwest Baptist (95 points), Missouri-St. Louis (90), Indianapolis (85), Truman State (72), Maryville (58), Rockhurst (46), McKendree (32), Quincy (21), and William Jewell (20).
The complete poll and voting results can be found below.
| Rank |
School |
Points (1st-place votes) |
| 1. |
Lewis |
142 (11) |
| 2. |
Illinois Springfield |
127 (1) |
| 3. |
Drury |
123 (1) |
| 4. |
Missouri S&T |
103 |
| 5. |
Southwest Baptist |
95 |
| 6. |
Missouri-St. Louis |
90 |
| 7. |
Indianapolis |
85 |
| 8. |
Truman State |
72 |
| 9. |
Maryville |
58 |
| 10. |
Rockhurst |
46 |
| 11. |
McKendree |
32 |
| 12. |
Quincy |
21 |
| 13. |
William Jewell |
20 |