AUSTINTOWN, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University women's cross country team has been picked to finish second while the men's team has been selected fifth in the 2018 Ohio Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Picked to finish fifth a season ago, the Yellow Jacket women finished second of 10 teams with 64 points and one first place vote in this year's poll. Three-time defending conference champion Otterbein University took the top spot with 80 points and eight first place votes. Only four points separated second through fourth place as the University of Mount Union came in third with 62 points while crosstown rival John Carroll University was tabbed fourth with 60 points and one first place vote. Rounding out the top five was Ohio Northern University with 58 points.
On the men's side, BW finished fifth of 10 teams with 49 points. John Carroll came out on top with 72 points and four first place votes while Ohio Northern followed closely behind in second place with 71 points and three first place votes. Finishing third was Otterbein with 68 points and two first place votes with Mount Union taking fourth place with 62 points and one first place vote. The Yellow Jackets rounded out the top five.
"We are very excited for the season ahead," said Coordinator of Cross Country and Track and Field and Head Cross Country Coach Joe Eby. "Our program is finally at the point where we have some upper class leaders who have been in our program for 2, 3 and 4 years. Hopefully we can take advantage of that and our upperclassmen can help lead us to a successful season and year."
Eby, who is in his fourth season as head cross country coach, returns eight letterwinners for the men and 11 for the women, including a total of four All-OAC performers. Both teams finished fifth at the 2017 OAC Championships.
BW opens the 2018 season on Friday, August 31, at the annual Wooster Invitational at the L.C. Boles Memorial Golf Course at 6 p.m. The 2018 OAC Championships, hosted by Mount Union, will be run on Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Sable Creek Golf Course in Hartville.
| 2018 Women's Cross Country Coaches Poll | ||
| Rank | School | Points (1st Place Votes) |
| 1 | Otterbein | 80 (8) |
| 2 | Baldwin Wallace | 64 (1) |
| 3 | Mount Union | 62 |
| 4 | John Carroll | 60 (1) |
| 5 | Ohio Northern | 58 |
| 6 | Muskingum | 37 |
| 7 | Heidelberg | 35 |
| 8 | Capital | 27 |
| 9 | Wilmington | 17 |
| 10 | Marietta | 10 |
| 2018 Men's Cross Country Coaches Poll | ||
| Rank | School | Points (1st Place Votes) |
| 1 | John Carroll | 72 (4) |
| 2 | Ohio Northern | 71 (3) |
| 3 | Otterbein | 68 (2) |
| 4 | Mount Union | 62 (1) |
| 5 | Baldwin Wallace | 49 |
| 6 | Heidelberg | 41 |
| 7 | Wilmington | 29 |
| 8 | Capital | 28 |
| 9 | Muskingum | 21 |
| 10 | Marietta | 9 |
