BISMARCK, N.D. (PlayNorthStar.com) – Dakota State (S.D.) was the unanimous pick to win the 2021 North Star Athletic Association men’s cross-country title, the conference coaches’ preseason poll was announced Monday. The league head coaches can vote for their own team in the men’s cross-country preseason poll.
The Trojans, who won the previous three conference titles, collected all six first-place votes. DaSU tallied 36 points to secure the top spot in poll.
Dickinson State (N.D.) was voted to finish second in the preseason poll with 30 points. Viterbo (Wis.) placed third in the poll with 17 points. Bellevue (Neb.) and Waldorf (Iowa) were tied for fourth with 15 points each. Valley City State (N.D.) recorded 13 points to finish sixth.
The NSAA Cross Country Conference Championship meet will be hosted by Bellevue on Nov. 5. The conference cross country championships will take place at Platteview Golf Club in Bellevue.
The team winner of the conference meet will earn the North Star’s automatic bid to the NAIA Men’s Cross-Country National Championships at Fort Vancouver Historic Site in Vancouver, Wash. on Nov. 19.
Below is the complete preseason coaches’ poll for 2021 NSAA Men’s Cross Country:
| 2021 NSAA Men’s Cross-Country Coaches’ Preseason Poll | ||
| Rank | School (First-Place Votes in parenthesis) | Points |
| 1 | Dakota State (S.D.) (6) | 36 |
| 2 | Dickinson State (N.D.) | 30 |
| 3 | Viterbo (Wis.) | 17 |
| T4 | Bellevue (Neb.) | 15 |
| T4 | Waldorf (Iowa) | 15 |
| 6 | Valley City State (N.D.) | 13 |
The North Star Athletic Association women’s cross country head coaches selected Dickinson State (N.D.) to win the league title, the conference preseason poll was announced Monday. The head coaches can vote for their own team in the women’s cross-country preseason poll.
The Blue Hawks collected four first-place votes and 33 points to secure the top spot in the NSAA women’s cross country coaches’ preseason poll.
Viterbo (Wis.), who won their first-ever league title last season, picked up the final two first-place votes and tallied 30 points to finish second in the poll. Dakota State (S.D.) was third with 27 points.
Valley City State (N.D.) edged out Waldorf (Iowa) by two points (15-13) to finish fourth in the poll. Bellevue (Neb.) was picked to finish sixth in the poll with eight points.
The North Star Athletic Association Cross Country Championships will take place at Platteview Golf Club in Bellevue, Neb. The conference meet is hosted by Bellevue on Nov. 5.
The team winner of the conference meet will earn the NSAA’s automatic bid to the NAIA Women’s Cross-Country National Championships. The national cross-country meet is slated to take place at Fort Vancouver Historic Site in Vancouver, Wash. on Nov. 19.
Below is the complete preseason coaches’ poll for 2021 NSAA Women’s Cross Country:
| 2021 NSAA Women’s Cross-Country Coaches’ Preseason Poll | ||
| Rank | School (First-Place Votes in parenthesis) | Points |
| 1 | Dickinson State (N.D.) (4) | 33 |
| 2 | Viterbo (Wis.) (2) | 30 |
| 3 | Dakota State (S.D.) | 27 |
| 4 | Valley City State (N.D.) | 15 |
| 5 | Waldorf (Iowa) | 13 |
| 6 | Bellevue (Neb.) | 8 |