Historically speaking, and yes it's a relatively small sample size, but the sport of cross country in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference could arguably be considered the most accomplished sport to date in the league's history.
Between individual and team accolades since 2012, the men's and women's runners of the G-MAC have impressed at the conference, regional and national levels, when given the opportunity.
That should be the continuing trend heading into the fall with two teams already recognized in a combination of the USTFCCCA Preseason Regional and National Rankings (Cedarville, Malone).
But both genders in cross country have yet to experience a conference champion other than the Cedarville Yellow Jackets. Cedarville has won a combined eight G-MAC titles and established itself as a perennial powerhouse heading into year five of the league.
The preseason conference ratings as decided by the coaches speak volumes about the impact that new G-MAC institution Malone University is projected to have in 2016.
The Pioneers are serving as this year's host for the G-MAC Cross Country Championships in Canton, Ohio, and cross over a storied history with traditional success immediately from the GLIAC.
The seven-team men's race will be a storyline to monitor all season long. The Yellow Jackets defied preseason odds in 2015 when Trevecca Nazarene was picked first in the preseason poll. They will have to do so again with Malone perched at the top as the predetermined favorite.
The Pioneers have finished as runner-up in the GLIAC to only Grand Valley State for the past four seasons. Senior Nate Boyer's best time in 2015 would have slotted in among the top 10 8K times clocked by G-MAC runners of all-time.
Five of the top seven finishers in last year's conference meet are returners. The 1-2 punch of Trevecca Nazarene senior tandem Logan Rodgers and Ben Moroney are tough to match anchoring the top of any lineup.
NCAA All-American and reigning G-MAC champion Benjamin Tuttle of Cedarville graduated, but the Yellow Jackets bring back six more all-conference competitors. Kentucky Wesleyan's Logan Ayer will be looking to build on his strong G-MAC Freshman of the Year season leading a young Panthers' program.
Incoming 2017-18 G-MAC member Walsh was ranked 25th in the USTFCCCA Preseason Poll on the men's side.
Cedarville clinched its fourth consecutive women's title in the rolling hills of West Virginia despite the absence of NCAA track champion and U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier Carsyn Koch. The Yellow Jackets enter the fall tied for No. 25 in the USTFCCCA National Rankings.
Koch has already established two of the G-MAC's 10 best 6K times in her two-year career and combines to form a strong top of the rotation with senior Olivia Esbenshade, who also was idle at the conference race in 2015.
The top three G-MAC runners on paper are back in the mix for what should be a battle for top honors at the conference race.
Trevecca Nazarene's Caroline Hampton is now a junior and will be seeking her third straight first-place finish at the G-MAC Championship. Hampton's hardware is accumulating quickly, not just in cross country, but also in track and field. She was an NCAA Championships qualifier as a sophomore and is ready to return to the national stage as an upperclassman.
She will be looking to fend off the likes of Koch and Alderson Broaddus senior Jenny Brewer, who missed last season with an injury, but finished second to Hampton in the 2014 G-MAC Championship. Alderson Broaddus standout sophomore Taylor Treadway is also forcing her name into the conversation as the reigning G-MAC Freshman of the Year.
The wild card is Malone and junior NCAA DII All-American Hannah Campbell. Campbell's top season time at the NCAA Midwest Regional would have toppled the current conference-best 6K record by about 25 seconds. She finished 38th at the NCAA Division II Championships as a sophomore.
Incoming 2017-18 G-MAC member Hillsdale is ranked seventh in the USTFCCCA Preseason National Poll.
This year, the conference office will track every race for each individual by distance with an updated top performances chart. The weekly chart also won't be limited by the top 10 or 20 runners.