HILLSBORO, Ore. — The Pacific Lutheran University Men's Track & Field team was picked to finish third in the conference in the latest Northwest Conference Preseason Coaches Poll released on Tuesday.
 
The men's squad earned 47 points, trailing Whitworth by nine and ahead of Pacific by six points.
 
Leading the poll is reigning NWC Track & Field champion, George Fox receiving eight of nine first-place votes. The Whitworth Pirates, picked second, earned one first-place vote.
 
The Lewis & Clark Pioneers sit in fifth (33 points), Linfield Wildcats sixth (32 points), Willamette Bearcats in seventh (27 points), Puget Sound eighth (16 points), and Whitman in ninth (8 points.)
 
The Lutes began the 2023-24 season sending individuals to the Spokane Invitational, UW Preview, and UW Invitational. The team made the journey to Spokane on February 9^th and 10^th to compete in the annual Whitworth Invitational. Keola Sanchez put on a show in Seattle, earning a personal best time in the 60-meter dash. Meanwhile Grady Lemma ran his first indoor 400-meter dash and finished in 23^rd, but was the fastest Division III runner at the meet.
 
The Lutes will hope to earn spots in the Ken Shannon Last Chance Invite this Friday and Saturday before heading to the Ed Boitano Invitational hosted by Puget Sound on March 1^st and 2^nd.