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S.D. – Dickinson State was tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the 2015 North Star Athletic Association Men’s Cross Country league title, the coaches’ preseason poll was released Monday.

The preseason poll was voted by the head coaches and they were not allowed to vote for their own team. The Blue Hawks scored 22 points with three first-place votes to claim the top spot in the preseason poll. Viterbo (Wis.) edged Dakota State (S.D.) for second place in the poll.

The V-Hawks scored 19 points and earned one first-place votes. The Trojans, who won the 2014 NSAA Men’s Cross Country conference title last season, collected the final two first-place votes. Dakota State scored 18 points to finish third in the poll. Jamestown (N.D.) was expected to finish fourth, scoring 14 points in the poll. Waldorf (Iowa) recorded eight points to finish fifth in the poll, followed by Valley City State (N.D.) sixth with seven points.

The North Star Athletic Association will have an automatic team bid for the NAIA Men’s Cross Country National Championships, which is to be held in Charlotte, N.C. on Nov. 21. The NSAA Cross Country Conference Championships will be held in Madison, S.D. on Nov. 7 at 11 a.m.