Liberty Men’s XC Tabbed as CUSA Favorite, Women Picked 2nd
8/24/2023 12:57:00 PM | Cross Country
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Liberty men's cross country team enters its inaugural season of Conference USA (CUSA) competition as the preseason favorite, as voted upon by the league's head coaches. Meanwhile, the Lady Flames were picked a close second to Middle Tennessee in the women's poll.
The Flames picked up five of nine men's first-place votes, with second-place Middle Tennessee (three) and third-place UTEP (one) collecting the other first-place nods. UTEP (runner-up) is the top returning team from the 2022 Conference USA Men's Cross Country Championships, while Middle Tennessee took third a year ago.
On the women's side, 2022 CUSA runner-up Middle Tennessee garnered five first-place votes with Liberty earning the other four. New Mexico State, last season's WAC third-place finisher, is listed third in the preseason poll.
The Liberty men's cross country team will aim for its first conference title since claiming the 2013 Big South crown. The Flames have posted nine straight runner-up finishes since then (four Big South, five ASUN).
The Flames return all four of their All-ASUN performers from 2022, including Nicholas Kiprotich (third place), Jack Cottrell (13th), Kyle Harkabus (14th) and Caleb Olson (21st), while Jacob Hess was the 2022 ASUN Men's Freshman of the Year.
Tristian Merchant will make his Liberty cross country debut this fall after racing to the ASUN 10K championship on the track in May. Meanwhile, Nathan Moore joins the Flames on the heels of a 2022 season where he placed 40th at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships while representing Walsh.
The Lady Flames are in search of their third conference title in four years after racing to victory at both the spring 2021 and fall 2021 ASUN Championships.
Two All-ASUN performers from Liberty's 2022 conference runner-up squad are back, including ASUN Women's Freshman of the Year Ava Gordon (seventh place) and Catherine Farrell (17th).
Adelyn Fairley, the 2019 and spring 2021 ASUN women's cross country individual champion, also returns after missing the 2022 campaign due to injury. Katelyn Locker will race in a Liberty uniform for the first time this fall. She came in 13th at the spring 2021 MAAC Cross Country Championships while representing Monmouth. Ryann Aycock, a three-time North Carolina state cross country champion, headlines the Lady Flames' freshmen.
Men's and women's cross country will be Liberty's first two teams to compete for Conference USA titles this fall. The 2023 Conference USA Cross Country Championships are set for Oct. 28 at Hobson Grove Park in Bowling Green, Ky.
Liberty will open its 2023 season on Sept. 1 at the Eye Opener in Spartanburg, S.C. The women's 5K will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the men's 8K will commence at 7:10 p.m. at the Roger Milliken Center, site of the 2023 NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships.
2023 CUSA Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll (First-Place votes)
1) Liberty (5)
2) Middle Tennessee (3)
3) UTEP (1)
4) New Mexico State
5) FIU
6) Sam Houston
7) WKU
8) Jacksonville State
9) Louisiana Tech
2023 CUSA Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll (First-Place votes)
1) Middle Tennessee (5)
2) Liberty (4)
3) New Mexico State
4T) FIU
4T) UTEP
6) Jacksonville State
7) WKU
8) Sam Houston
9) Louisiana Tech
The Flames picked up five of nine men's first-place votes, with second-place Middle Tennessee (three) and third-place UTEP (one) collecting the other first-place nods. UTEP (runner-up) is the top returning team from the 2022 Conference USA Men's Cross Country Championships, while Middle Tennessee took third a year ago.
On the women's side, 2022 CUSA runner-up Middle Tennessee garnered five first-place votes with Liberty earning the other four. New Mexico State, last season's WAC third-place finisher, is listed third in the preseason poll.
The Liberty men's cross country team will aim for its first conference title since claiming the 2013 Big South crown. The Flames have posted nine straight runner-up finishes since then (four Big South, five ASUN).
The Flames return all four of their All-ASUN performers from 2022, including Nicholas Kiprotich (third place), Jack Cottrell (13th), Kyle Harkabus (14th) and Caleb Olson (21st), while Jacob Hess was the 2022 ASUN Men's Freshman of the Year.
Tristian Merchant will make his Liberty cross country debut this fall after racing to the ASUN 10K championship on the track in May. Meanwhile, Nathan Moore joins the Flames on the heels of a 2022 season where he placed 40th at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships while representing Walsh.
The Lady Flames are in search of their third conference title in four years after racing to victory at both the spring 2021 and fall 2021 ASUN Championships.
Two All-ASUN performers from Liberty's 2022 conference runner-up squad are back, including ASUN Women's Freshman of the Year Ava Gordon (seventh place) and Catherine Farrell (17th).
Adelyn Fairley, the 2019 and spring 2021 ASUN women's cross country individual champion, also returns after missing the 2022 campaign due to injury. Katelyn Locker will race in a Liberty uniform for the first time this fall. She came in 13th at the spring 2021 MAAC Cross Country Championships while representing Monmouth. Ryann Aycock, a three-time North Carolina state cross country champion, headlines the Lady Flames' freshmen.
Men's and women's cross country will be Liberty's first two teams to compete for Conference USA titles this fall. The 2023 Conference USA Cross Country Championships are set for Oct. 28 at Hobson Grove Park in Bowling Green, Ky.
Liberty will open its 2023 season on Sept. 1 at the Eye Opener in Spartanburg, S.C. The women's 5K will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the men's 8K will commence at 7:10 p.m. at the Roger Milliken Center, site of the 2023 NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships.
2023 CUSA Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll (First-Place votes)
1) Liberty (5)
2) Middle Tennessee (3)
3) UTEP (1)
4) New Mexico State
5) FIU
6) Sam Houston
7) WKU
8) Jacksonville State
9) Louisiana Tech
2023 CUSA Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll (First-Place votes)
1) Middle Tennessee (5)
2) Liberty (4)
3) New Mexico State
4T) FIU
4T) UTEP
6) Jacksonville State
7) WKU
8) Sam Houston
9) Louisiana Tech
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