MEN PICKED FIRST, WOMEN SECOND IN PRESEASON POLL

SIOUX FALLS, SD – The South Dakota State men's cross country team was chosen to continue their streak of Summit League championship titles while the women were picked second in the preseason coaches' poll, league officials announced Tuesday.

The SDSU men were voted first in the poll with 34 points and four first-place votes, narrowly edging North Dakota State's 33 points and three-first place votes. North Dakota claimed 25 points for third place while South Dakota and St. Thomas tied for fourth with 19 points apiece. Oral Roberts came sixth with nine points and Kansas City rounded out the rankings with eight points.

On the women's side, the Jackrabbits finished second with 42 points and four first-place votes behind the North Dakota State women with 45 points and three first-place votes. North Dakota took the final first-place vote alongside 38 points for third as South Dakota finished fourth with 29 points. St. Thomas (22), Omaha (21), Kansas City (17) and Oral Roberts (10) completed the women's poll.

SDSU is set to kick off the cross country season at the Augustana Twilight on Sept. 1 beginning at 8:30 p.m.

In addition to the preseason team rankings, four Jackrabbits were named to the league's preseason athletes to watch list: Josh Becker, Daniel Burkhalter, Leah (Hansen) Hisken and Mya Kizer.

Josh Becker
Jr. | Osseo, Wis.

Captured sixth at the 2022 League Championships, good for first team All-League honors
Clocked an 8K time of 24:36.6 at the Weiss-Crockett Invitational
Finished third at the Augustana Twilight with a four-mile time of 19:19.8

Daniel Burkhalter, South Dakota State
Sr. | Prairie City, S.D.

Took second place at the Augustana Twilight with a four-mile time of 19:18.4
Clocked a season-best 8K time of 24:27.5 at the Weiss-Crockett Invitational
Earned first team All-League honors at the 2022 League Championships with a fifth-place finish
Placed 27th at the NCAA Midwest Regional running the 10K in a personal-best time of 30:09.7

Leah (Hansen) Hisken, South Dakota State
Sr. | Willmar, Minn.

First athlete to take home three consecutive Female Cross Country Athlete of the Year honors (2020, 2021, 2022)
Earned her third consecutive League individual title and Championship MVP honor while helping the Jacks to a runner-up finish in the team standings at the 2022 League Championships
Placed 19^th at the 2022 NCAA Midwest Regional with a time of 20:40.0
Top-20 finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional helped pace the Jacks to 10th place in the team standings, the highest finish for an SDSU team in the Division I era

Mya Kizer, South Dakota State
Jr. | Hammond, Wis.

Earned second team All-League honors with an 11th-place finish at the 2022 League Championships
Had a season-best 6K race at the Bradley Pink Classic with a time of 21:21.4
Finished second at the SDSU Classic in a time of 18:22.7 and ran a season-best 5K at the Augustana Twilight (18:15.1)

2023 SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL
1. South Dakota State (4) - 34
2. North Dakota State (3) - 33
3. North Dakota - 25
T-4. South Dakota - 19
T-4. St. Thomas - 19
6. Oral Roberts - 9
7. Kansas City - 8

2023 SUMMIT LEAGUE WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL
1. North Dakota State (3) - 45
2. South Dakota State (4) - 42
3. North Dakota (1) - 38
4. South Dakota - 29
5. St. Thomas - 22
6. Omaha - 21
7. Kansas City - 17
8. Oral Roberts - 10

-GoJacks.com-

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Josh Becker

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