Sept. 11, 2003

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State men's cross country team is ranked tied for No. 28 in the Mondo NCAA cross country preseason poll, conducted by the United States Cross Country Coaches Association. The Spartans are one of seven Big Ten teams to be nationally ranked in the initial poll.

Michigan State finished 30th at the 2002 NCAA Championships and eighth at last year's Great Lakes Regional. Nine of the 30 ranked teams come from the Great Lakes Region this season.

Nearly every top performer from last year's team is back, including All-Great Lakes Region performers Chris Toloff (Jr., Novi) and Andrew Marsh (Sr., Grand Ledge). The Spartans also welcome back senior Ben Evans (Birmingham), a 2001 All-Region performer who was forced to redshirt due to injury last year.

Michigan State's men's and women's cross country teams will host the Spartan Invitaional next Friday, Sept. 19, at 2 p.m. at Forest Akers East Golf Course.

MONDO MEN'S NCAA-I CROSS COUNTRY POLL

Pre-season poll - Sept.9, 2003

Conducted by the United States
Cross Country Coaches Association

Ranking Team (first place votes) Region Points

1 Stanford (15) W 479
2 Wisconsin (1) GL 462
3 Arkansas SC 436
4 Oregon W 421
5 Northern Arizona M 411
6 Colorado M 393
7 Michigan GL 384
8 Central Michigan GL 357
9 Iona College NE 322
10-tie Eastern Michigan GL 302
10-tie Villanova MA 302
12 BYU M 293
13 Georgetown MA 265
14 North Carolina State SE 260
15 William & Mary SE 247
16 Providence NE 215
17 Indiana GL 184
18 Notre Dame GL 164
19 Minnesota MW 144
20 Cal Poly San Luis Obispo W 141
21 Weber State W 123
22 Butler GL 120
23 Colorado State M 101
24 Texas SC 89
25 Oklahoma State MW 78
26-tie Iowa MW 62
26-tie Ohio State GL 62
28-tie Michigan State GL 59
28-tie Portland W 59
30 Montana State M 54

Also receiving votes: SMU 43, Texas A&M 41, Dartmouth 38, Princeton 30, New
Mexico 25, Georgia 21, Washington 21, Arizona State 16, Columbia 13, Florida
12, Arizona 11, Air Force 9, Miami (Ohio) 8, Florida State 6, Duke 5, Alabama
3, Utah State 3, LaSalle 1.

Regions: NE = Northeast; MA = Mid Atlantic; SE = Southeast; S = South; GL =
Great Lakes; MW = Midwest; SC = South Central; M = Mountain; W = West