CC Preseason Poll

LANCASTER, Pa. – The Ursinus College men's cross country team is ranked eighth in the Centennial Conference coaches preseason poll.

Haverford College earned the top spot in the poll, receiving seven of the nine first-place votes and 63 points. Johns Hopkins claimed the other two first-place ballots to land in second with 57 points; the Blue Jays were followed by Dickinson (51), Swarthmore (42), Muhlenberg (34), Gettysburg (31), Franklin & Marshall (19), Ursinus (18), and McDaniel (9).

The Bears know exactly what to expect from themselves entering the season, as the entire roster has returned from last season.

Leading the way this season is Joe Iuliucci. The senior was one of the Bears' top finishers throughout the 2016 campaign, keeping his 3K time at 8:58 and his 5K clocking at 15:40. He has competed in the NCAA Division III Mid-East Regional in each of his three seasons so far, posting the time of 27:44 at last year's competition. His season-best time of 26:12.5 came at Rowan's Inter-Regional Border Battle.

Seven sophomores are back for fourth-year coach Carl Blickle, including Logan Mazullo, James McDaid and John Haase.

Mazullo proved that he was ready for the college ranks at the Mid-East Regional, where he was the first Bear to cross the finish line – 165^th overall (27:43). He also finished 38^th at the Centennial Conference Championship. McDaid also has plenty of postseason experience, as he was part of the group that competed at regionals – where he placed 246^th (29:04) – and the conference championship (48^th, 27:57.6). Haase placed 44^th (27:51.3) at the conference championship and raced in the Mid-East Regional, where he finished 207^th (28:16).

Craig Lauer and Andre Kelly also highlight the impressive second-year group. The duo is expected to take steps forward in their second seasons.

Andrew Voyack returns after back-to-back seasons of making it to the Mid-East Regional and the conference championships and was one of the Bears' top seven runners last season.

Blickle has four new faces that will be in the mix as well. Freshmen Dylan Geissinger-Tuttle, Kyle Berardi and Matt Roeder each come to Ursinus with successful high school careers and look to carry that positivity to the collegiate ranks.

Ursinus' first race of the season is on Sept. 1 at the Bryn Mawr Invitational.

2017 CC Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll