SSU men's XC sits at No. 20 in 2024 NAIA Men's Cross Country Coaches Top 25 Preseason Rating

With 187 votes to its credit, the men's cross country program at Shawnee State was slotted at No. 20 overall in the NAIA Men's Cross Country Preseason Rating in a ballot that was released Thursday morning by national officials.

The Bears edged Goshen (Ind.) by one point for 20th in the rankings, while Corban (Ore.), Marian (Ind.), Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) and Rio Grande rounded out the NAIA Top 25.

Milligan (Tenn.), who won its second NAIA National Championship in three seasons in 2023, was picked as the preseason favorite, claiming 560 points and all 20 first-place votes to head up the poll. Saint Mary's (Kan.), Cumberlands (Ky.), Indiana Wesleyan and College of Idaho rounded out the top-five.

While picked to finish at No. 20 in the NAIA Men's Cross Country Coaches Top 25 Preseason Rating, Shawnee State has a strong chance to better its preseason standing. In all, three out of SSU's four First-Team All-River States Conference honorees are back, including 2023 NAIA All-American Shawn Little, who finished 28th at the 2023 NAIA Men's Cross Country National Championships, Kaiden Lanoy, who finished 93rd in the same national meet, and Trevor Lanoy, who finished 166th.

The Lanoys, who were both freshmen last season, will be joined by the third of three triplets, Isaiah, who enjoyed a strong outdoor track and field season that saw the latter obtain national qualification in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the 2024 NAIA Men's Outdoor Track and Field National Championships.

Along with the above quartet, Dylan French, who finished inside the top-25 of the River States Conference standings, also returns, as does Mason Blizzard, Luke Butler, Jared Flowers, Aidan Judd, Rowen Lloyd, Jacob Naumovski, Jerry O'Dell and Malachi Shugert. Ohio Christian transfer Garrett Carver and true freshmen Connor Darnell, Caden LaRue and Walker Pannell all join the Shawnee State men's cross country roster for 2024.