MADISON, S.D. – Dickinson State (N.D.) collected all six first-place votes and tallied 42 points to claim the top spot in the 2019 North Star Athletic Association Women’s Cross-Country conference title, the coaches’ preseason poll was announced Tuesday. The Blue Hawks had won four consecutive NSAA women’s cross-country conference title. 

Valley City State (N.D.) edged Dakota State (S.D.) 33-32 to finish second in the preseason poll. Waldorf (Iowa) was picked to finish fourth with 23 points, followed by Viterbo (Wis.) fifth with 18 points and Bellevue (Neb.) sixth with 13 points. Presentation (S.D.) recorded seven points to finish seventh in the poll. 

The North Star Athletic Association Cross Country conference championship meet will be held in Forest City, Iowa, hosted by Waldorf (Iowa), on Nov. 8. The team winner of the conference meet will earn the NSAA’s automatic bid to the NAIA Women’s Cross-Country National Championships in Vancouver, Wash. on Nov. 22. 

Below is the complete preseason coaches’ poll for 2019 NSAA Women’s Cross Country: 

2019 NSAA Women’s Cross-Country Coaches’ Preseason Poll Rank School (First-Place Votes in parenthesis) Points 1 Dickinson State (N.D.) (6) 42 2 Valley City State (N.D.) 33 3 Dakota State (S.D.) 32 4 Waldorf (Iowa) 23 5 Viterbo (Wis.) 18 6 Bellevue (Neb.) 13 7 Presentation (S.D.) 7