Bowling Green, KY – The Patriots men's cross country team was selected to finish third in the conference, as announced by the Mid-South Conference office on Monday. The ranking comes after head coach Randy Greer and company placed third at the MSC Championships last season.
 
Cumberlands took a total of 36 points in the MSC Preseason Coaches' Poll. Shawnee State, last season's conference champions, are once again the 2019 favorites with 49 points received, seven first-place votes. UC sits five points behind Campbellsville in the poll, who tallied 41 total points including one first-place vote.
 
Key contributors returning for the five-meet schedule include Nicolas Grandperrin and Mitchell Miracle. Greer and associate head coach Alex Kluchki brought in several newcomers to add depth to the Patriots top-five, including Caleb Flanagan, Kyle Woodward, and Jarrett Forrest.
 
"Grandperrin and Miracle should give us some experience this year," Greer said. "I really think we can make some noise nationally with this group."
 
"We feel adding in the freshmen plus a strong upfront presence of Grandperrin and Miracle will be highly competitive team come the Mid-South Conference Championships in November," Kluchki said.
 
Rounding out the poll were Cumberland, Lindsey Wilson, Thomas More, Georgetown and Pikeville, respectively.
 
The Patriots open their 2019 campaign in Bowling Green, KY at the championship course for the MSC Preview on September 7; their first time appearing at the meet. The crew will have two months to prepare for the conference championships, set for November 9 at Phil Moore Park.
 
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