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South Dakota State University Athletics
SDSU men first, women third in preseason poll
8/20/2019 2:41:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
SIOUX FALLS – The South Dakota State men's cross country team was once again picked favorites to win the 2019 league title, while the women's team was picked to finish third as decided in a poll by The Summit League's cross country head coaches released on Tuesday.
Looking to grab their fourth consecutive Summit League title, the Jacks men picked up 36 points, and six of seven possible first place votes. North Dakota State was tabbed second with 31 points (one first place vote), while South Dakota rounded out the top three with 26 points.
For the 10th time since 2010 (every year except runner-up in 2016), the men's team was nominated as the favorite in The Summit League. In the past nine years, the Jacks have won six championships (five when tabbed as favorite, one when picked runner-up), finished second twice (2014, 2015), and took the bronze once (2011). 2019 also marks the third consecutive year the men have gathered all but one first place votes.
Senior Chase Cayo and junior Gabe Peters were named Men's Athletes to Watch as part of the league's preseason outlook.
Cayo returns to the Jackrabbit lineup as a fifth-year senior and a Summit League individual champion in 2017 (24:44.8) and second place finisher in 2018 (25:12.2). Cayo recorded the conference's best 8K time (24:48.5) last season at the Pre-Nationals meet. This is Cayo's second Athlete to Watch nomination.
Peters will look to best his seventh place finish (25:36.07) from the conference championship meet last year where he earned All-League First Team honors. Last season, Peters held the league's third-fastest 6K time (19:03.5) and the tenth-best 8K time (25:12.9). Peters was named Newcomer of the Championship in 2017.
2019 Summit League Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll
Men's Athletes to Watch (selected by league head coaches)
Chase Cayo | South Dakota State | Senior
Gabe Peters | South Dakota State | Junior
Alex Bartholomay | North Dakota State | Junior
Merga Gemeda | South Dakota | Sophomore
Sammy Moran | Purdue Fort Wayne | Junior
Luke Labatte | North Dakota | Freshman
Ross Smetzer | Western Illinois | Senior
Emmanuel Kipngetich | Oral Roberts | Junior
On the women's side, the Jackrabbits were tabbed third in the conference preseason poll with 37 points, coming in behind preseason favorite North Dakota State with 47 points (five first place votes) and 2018 Summit League champions South Dakota with 45 points (three first place votes).
The Jacks have finished top-three in The Summit League every year since 2012, and won the conference title in 2008.
Junior Anna Donnay was named a Women's Athletes to Watch for the Jackrabbits. Donnay finished 15th at The Summit League championship with a time of 22:00.9 and logged a 6K time of 22:00.2 at the 2018 NCAA Midwest Regional Championships.
2019 Women's Summit League Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
Women's Athletes to Watch (selected by league head coaches)
Anna Donnay | South Dakota State | Junior
Kelby Anderson | North Dakota State | Junior
Abby Ripperda | South Dakota | Junior
Madison Overby | North Dakota | Senior
Emily Johnson | Omaha | Junior
Sophia Hirzel | Purdue Fort Wayne | Junior
Nicole Beebe | Western Illinois | Senior
Jessica Romero | Oral Roberts | Senior
Looking to grab their fourth consecutive Summit League title, the Jacks men picked up 36 points, and six of seven possible first place votes. North Dakota State was tabbed second with 31 points (one first place vote), while South Dakota rounded out the top three with 26 points.
For the 10th time since 2010 (every year except runner-up in 2016), the men's team was nominated as the favorite in The Summit League. In the past nine years, the Jacks have won six championships (five when tabbed as favorite, one when picked runner-up), finished second twice (2014, 2015), and took the bronze once (2011). 2019 also marks the third consecutive year the men have gathered all but one first place votes.
Senior Chase Cayo and junior Gabe Peters were named Men's Athletes to Watch as part of the league's preseason outlook.
Cayo returns to the Jackrabbit lineup as a fifth-year senior and a Summit League individual champion in 2017 (24:44.8) and second place finisher in 2018 (25:12.2). Cayo recorded the conference's best 8K time (24:48.5) last season at the Pre-Nationals meet. This is Cayo's second Athlete to Watch nomination.
Peters will look to best his seventh place finish (25:36.07) from the conference championship meet last year where he earned All-League First Team honors. Last season, Peters held the league's third-fastest 6K time (19:03.5) and the tenth-best 8K time (25:12.9). Peters was named Newcomer of the Championship in 2017.
2019 Summit League Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll
| Rank | School | Points (1st) | |
| 1. | South Dakota State | 36 (6) | |
| 2. | North Dakota State | 31 (1) | |
| 3. | South Dakota | 26 | |
| 4. | Purdue Fort Wayne | 18 | |
| 5. | North Dakota | 17 | |
| 6. | Western Illinois | 13 | |
| 7. | Oral Roberts | 6 | |
Chase Cayo | South Dakota State | Senior
Gabe Peters | South Dakota State | Junior
Alex Bartholomay | North Dakota State | Junior
Merga Gemeda | South Dakota | Sophomore
Sammy Moran | Purdue Fort Wayne | Junior
Luke Labatte | North Dakota | Freshman
Ross Smetzer | Western Illinois | Senior
Emmanuel Kipngetich | Oral Roberts | Junior
On the women's side, the Jackrabbits were tabbed third in the conference preseason poll with 37 points, coming in behind preseason favorite North Dakota State with 47 points (five first place votes) and 2018 Summit League champions South Dakota with 45 points (three first place votes).
The Jacks have finished top-three in The Summit League every year since 2012, and won the conference title in 2008.
Junior Anna Donnay was named a Women's Athletes to Watch for the Jackrabbits. Donnay finished 15th at The Summit League championship with a time of 22:00.9 and logged a 6K time of 22:00.2 at the 2018 NCAA Midwest Regional Championships.
2019 Women's Summit League Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
| Rank | School | Points (1st) | |
| 1. | North Dakota State | 47 (5) | |
| 2. | South Dakota | 45 (3) | |
| 3. | South Dakota State | 37 | |
| 4. | North Dakota | 31 | |
| 5. | Omaha | 22 | |
| 6. | Purdue Fort Wayne | 17 | |
| 7. | Western Illinois | 15 | |
| 8. | Oral Roberts | 7 | |
Anna Donnay | South Dakota State | Junior
Kelby Anderson | North Dakota State | Junior
Abby Ripperda | South Dakota | Junior
Madison Overby | North Dakota | Senior
Emily Johnson | Omaha | Junior
Sophia Hirzel | Purdue Fort Wayne | Junior
Nicole Beebe | Western Illinois | Senior
Jessica Romero | Oral Roberts | Senior
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