WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University women's cross country team has been voted to place fourth, while the men's team has been voted to place fifth in the annual Ohio Athletic Conference Coaches Preseason Poll.

The Yellow Jacket women, who were picked to finish fourth in the 2023 season and finished fourth at the OAC Championships, were selected fourth with 55 points. Defending OAC Champion and longtime rival John Carroll University was chosen to place first, with 79 points and seven first place votes. Ohio Northern University ranked in second place with 75 points and three first place votes. University of Mount Union was slated third with 65 points, and rounding out the top five was Otterbein University with 51 points.

The BW men, who were picked to finish sixth in the 2023 season and finished sixth at the OAC Championships, were selected fifth with 50 points. Defending OAC Champion and longtime rival John Carroll was chosen to place first, with 80 points and eight first place votes. Mount Union and Ohio Northern each tied at second place after reaching 69 points, with Mount Union receiving two first place votes. Otterbein was voted to finish fourth with 55 points.

BW Coordinator of Cross Country and Track and Field Joe Eby returns 14 letterwinners (eight women and six men) and seven Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference selections (four women and three men) from last year's squads. Eby also welcomes back 2023 OAC Women's Runner of the Year in senior Hope Murphy (Mogadore).

The Yellow Jackets open the 2024 campaign on Aug. 30 as they compete in the Wooster Invitational, hosted by The College of Wooster at the L.C. Boles Memorial Golf Course.