KEVIN JENISON

GoSycamores.com

TERRE HAUTE, IND. ? The Indiana State men's cross country team is ranked in the top 10 of the pre-season Great Lakes Region rankings which were released today by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

The Sycamores, who are the defending Missouri Valley Conference champions and finished fourth in the Great Lakes Region rankings a year ago, enter the 2010 season in sixth. The Big Ten's Wisconsin and Michigan State, who finished 1-2 a year ago, start out the 2010 season the same way. Butler is the pre-season third ranked team with Indiana fourth and Ohio State fifth. Rounding out the top 10 are Michigan in seventh, Eastern Michigan eighth, Notre Dame ninth, and Kent State 10th.

The Indiana State women were not ranked among the pre-season top 15 teams.

The men's cross country team is the co-favorite to win the 2010 MVC championship along with the Southern Illinois Salukis according to the annual poll of MVC cross country coaches that was released earlier this month. The Sycamore women were picked to finish fifth in the conference championships this year.

The USTFCCCA national pre-season rankings are to be released on Tuesday.