INDIANAPOLIS – The Truman State Men's Cross Country team was picked to finish eighth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason coaches poll released Friday by the league office.
 
The results of the poll nearly mirrored the order of finish from last year's conference championship race with Lewis picking up the majority of votes and the first-place nod. The host school for the championship meet, Illinois Springfield, was picked second followed by Drury in third. The Bulldogs were eighth at the league meet in 2023.
 
Senior Evan Aubuchon and junior Gavin Hill were the two consistent runners for the Bulldogs last season with Aubuchon scoring for Truman State in four of the five meets and Hill earning points in all five runs. Hill was Truman's top finisher in the first two meets last year while Aubuchon was the top Dog at the Live in Louisville race.
 
Sophomore Brennan Ulrich is the returning top-placing runner for the team at the conference and NCAA regional meet last season.
 
The team will get a preview of the GLVC racecourse when it opens the season on September 6^th at the Prairie Stars Invite in Springfield, Illinois. From there, the Bulldogs will race at the Bradley Intercollegiate in Peoria, Illinois on September 20, the Griffon Invite in St. Joseph, Missouri on October 5^th and the Lewis Crossover in Romeoville, Illinois on October 12.
 
The GLVC Championships are slated for October 26 and the NCAA Midwest Regional will be in Romeoville on November 9.
 
Head Coach Collin Nurenberg will enter his third season leading the squad.