NEW ORLEANS, La. – The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) has unveiled its preseason regional rankings for each of the 10 regions for NCAA Division III. In the Great Lakes region, the Trine University men's cross country team enters the 2023 season ranked fifth.
The reigning Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) champions, the Calvin University Knights, were picked first in the region, with Ohio Athletic Conference teams John Carroll University and the University of Mount Union behind them in second and third. MIAA opponent Hope College is fourth in the regional rankings and the Thunder sit fifth ahead of Oberlin College out of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) and Case Western Reserve University from the University Athletic Association (UAA).
One season ago, Trine men's cross country finished third in the MIAA Championships and eleventh at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional at the Three Fires Golf Club in Holland, Michigan. The team features three former All-MIAA recipients returning in the fall of 2023 in senior Zachary Brickler and juniors Joseph Packard and Eli Lantz.
On top of the three veteran All-MIAA student-athletes, the Thunder also have two other team scorers from postseason events in 2022 on this year's squad. Senior Jacob Myers and sophomore Ryan Hoopingarner will be key pieces to the team this season as well for Head Coach Zach Raber.
The season gets underway on Friday, September 1 for the team's closest meet of the year, the Mastodon XC Opener at the Purdue-Fort Wayne XC Course. Races are set to begin at 6 p.m.
