Women's Cross Country | 8/22/2017 2:49:00 PM
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's cross country team was voted atop the 2017 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll released Tuesday afternoon by the league office.
Shippensburg received 15 of the 18 first-place votes from the league's coaches. The Raiders are ranked ahead of second-place California (three first-place votes) and third-place Edinboro, with Lock Haven and Bloomsburg rounding out the coaches' Top 5.
SU is fresh off its first conference championship in four years and returns 13 runners from last season's squad. Among the team's notable returning veterans is senior
Bryanna Dissinger, the seventh-place finisher at the 2016 PSAC Cross Country Championships and the 2017 PSAC Outdoor Champion in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Shippensburg's roster features four seniors, four juniors, five sophomores and six freshmen. Eight of the 10 women that represented the Raiders at last year's PSAC Championships are back on the roster this season.
Head coach
Steve Spence returns for his 20th season directing the SU cross country teams. The Raiders are seeking their 10th consecutive NCAA Championships appearance in 2017.
A video preview of the 2017 season will be posted during the final week of August to shipraiders.com.
Shippensburg opens its 2017 season Friday, September 1 in the
Galen Piper Alumni Open/Cross Country Challenge. The event is held under the lights on the SU recreational fields and will begin at approximately 8 p.m.
2017 PSAC Preseason Women's Cross Country Poll
1) Shippensburg (15)
2) California (3)
3) Edinboro
4) Lock Haven
5) Bloomsburg
6) East Stroudsburg
7) Kutztown
8) Seton Hill
9) West Chester
10) Slippery Rock
11) Mercyhurst
12) IUP
13) Clarion
14) Mansfield
15) Gannon
16) Millersville
17) Pitt-Johnstown
18) Cheyney
