Both XC Teams Ranked No. 8 In Preseason Poll

SEATTLE – Still a few weeks away from the first starting line, the Husky men’s and women’s cross country teams were both voted No. 8 in the preseason U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association rankings. Washington has qualified both its men’s and women’s teams for the NCAA Championships all four years under coaches Maurica and Andy Powell.
 
The Huskies have yet to report to campus to begin fall camp. When they arrive, the team will head to training camp in Cle Elum, Wash. and that will lead them right into the season’s first race, the Cowboy Jamboree in Stillwater, Okla. on Sept. 24.
 
The women’s team finished 11th at the NCAA Championships a year ago and return five of the seven women who lined up at nationals, including Haley Herberg, Madison Heisterman, Naomi Smith, Anna Gibson, and Sophie O’Sullivan.
 
The men are coming off a 13th-place NCAA finish and bring back All-American Brian Fay, plus NCAA 1,500m champ Joe Waskom, Leo Daschbach, Isaac Green, and Luke Houser.
 
Both teams are ranked third among Pac-12 squads. The men’s poll has Stanford at No. 3 and Colorado at No. 5. On the women’s side, Colorado comes in third and Stanford is No. 5.