FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- The Christopher Newport men's cross country team was slotted second in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, which was announced on Thursday afternoon by the league office.

Two years after finishing second at the 2019 conference meet, the Captains return to action ranked second in the league after securing a pair of first-place votes and 14 total points in the preseason poll. UC Santa Cruz enters the year as the favorite in the conference after garnering 15 points and three first-place votes, while Salisbury, Mary Washington, and Pratt round out the top-five.

UC Santa Cruz and Pratt are first-year members of the conference. Prior to joining the league, they were the top-two finishers at the 2019 American Collegiate Athletic Association title meet. After winning the league competition, UC Santa Cruz went on to finish 22nd at the NCAA Championships.

Although some of the challengers have changed, Christopher Newport welcomes back several familiar faces from the 2019 campaign. Four members of the team are reigning All-Conference honorees after Sam Koltisko, Ryan Henderson, Nick Tolarchyk, and Eric Speeney all finished in the top-16 at the most recent league meet. Overall, seven current Captains took part in the 2019 competition while helping the squad place second in the team standings.

Along with the 2019 honorees, Clark Edwards is back after securing first-team All-Conference plaudits for his starring role during the 2018 meet. As a freshman, he finished seventh at the league competition and was celebrated as the Capital Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year.

Joining the team's most experienced competitors, Christopher Newport also features seven runners in either their first or second year on the squad. Among the youthful standouts, sophomore Daniel Ferrante was an All-Conference distance runner on the outdoor track & field team during the spring, while his twin brother Nathanael Ferrante finished third in both the 800 and 1500 at the Coast-to-Coast Conference Outdoor Championships.

Along with the squad's lofty position in the league, Christopher Newport was also picked fourth in the USTFCCCA South Region Rankings earlier this week.

The Captains will open up the 2021 season on September 4 at the Spider Alumni Open. Two weeks later, the squad will kick off the home portion of the schedule with the CNU Invitational at Lee Hall Mansion on September 18.

The Coast-to-Coast Conference Championship will take place on October 30 in Sunnyvale, California.

2021 Coast-to-Coast Conference Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
1. UC Santa Cruz - 15 (3)
2. Christopher Newport - 14 (2)
3. Salisbury - 9
4. Mary Washington - 8
5. Pratt - 4

---ISH---