BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The Concord University men's cross country team has been voted to finish third in the Mountain East Conference with the announcement of the preseason coaches' poll Friday afternoon.
THE POLL
| Place |
Team (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. |
Charleston (7) |
97 |
| 2. |
Davis & Elkins (4) |
94 |
| 3. |
Concord |
80 |
| 4. |
Frostburg State |
67 |
| 5. |
West Virginia Wesleyan |
65 |
| 6. |
West Liberty |
58 |
| 7. |
Glenville State |
40 |
| T-8. |
Fairmont State |
34 |
| T-8. |
Point Park |
34 |
| 10. |
Wheeling |
25 |
| 11. |
West Virginia State |
11 |
2023 REVIEW
For the 11
th consecutive year, the Mountain Lions finished in the top three of the MEC as they placed third. CU was sixth at the Atlantic Regional Championship with senior
Logan Zuchelli advancing onto the NCAA Division II National Championship as an individual. Zuchelli and sophomore
Braden Ward were All-MEC Second Team selections while now-graduated Preston Preston was All-MEC First Team.
2024 SCHEDULE
Concord opens the season with a pair of meets at Virginia Tech September 6 and 20. The Mountain Lions race back-to-back weekends, October 5 and 11, at Lehigh and Queens, respectively. CU has its home meet October 18 as part of Homecoming Weekend. The MEC Championship will be contested October 26 at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, West Virginia. The Atlantic Regional Championship is slated for November 9 at Lock Haven.
THE RETURNERS
Ward and Zuchelli lead the returners for the Mountain Lions as previous all-conference performers, and in Zuchelli's case, a multi-time All-Atlantic Region selection. Senior
Ethan Board had his best career showing at the MEC Championship by just missing an all-conference spot in 22
nd. Sophomores
Bramley Childress,
AJ Skeens and
Andrew Tickle also competed last year at the MEC Championship. Senior
Zach Wilson raced at the MEC Championship each of the last two years.
THE NEWCOMERS
Head coach
Mike Cox starts his 25
th season in charge of the Concord cross country and track & field programs this fall, and the veteran coach welcomes in freshman
Brandon Canaday (Beckley, W.Va./Woodrow Wilson),
Reese Hickey (Shepherdstown, W.Va./Jefferson) and
Garrett Kinder (Pulaksi, Va./Pulaski County). Along with the new athletes, Cox brought on two new assistant coaches in
Al MacNaughton and
Giovanni Purser to join
Andrew Barbera on the staff.
Â
