Official NWC Release

HILLSBORO, Ore. — The Northwest Conference dropped its preseason coaches' poll for the sport of men's cross country on Wednesday with Pacific Lutheran University picked to finish eighth at the conference meet. 
 
The Lutes secured 17 points in the coaches' poll, sitting just two points behind seventh place Pacific University and holding a seven-point cushion over ninth ranked Linfield University.

Reigning NWC Champion George Fox University has been tabbed to repeat as champions with six of the nine first place votes and 62 total points. Whitworth University is second with 59 points and the remaining three first place endorsements. Whitman College is third with 47 points while Lewis & Clark College rounds out the top four with 45 points.

Crosstown rival University of Puget Sound is fifth with 35 points while Willamette University is sixth with 30 points. 
 
The Lutes return four of their top five runners from a 2024 squad that placed seventh at the NWC Championships. PLU opens the season on Saturday at Fort Steilacoom at the Puget Sound Invitational and will host two meets this fall, highlighted by the 2025 NWC Championships on November 1.