INDIANAPOLIS – The league’s coaches expect Hillsdale to emerge on top following Friday’s release of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Preseason Coaches Poll presented by Under Armour that was released Friday. 
 
Only three points separated the preseason favorite and runner-up while the reigning indoor conference team champion was tabbed third. 
 
The outdoor season provides a few different wrinkles to the schedule of events including the hammer throw and the 3K steeplechase along with the addition of the 1,500-meter run. 
 
For the outdoor season, Hillsdale collected nine of the possible 14 first-place votes and had a total of 160 points from the coaches in the balloting. 
 
The Chargers have balance, especially with the emergence of freshman speedster Kajsa Johansson, middle distance with Abbie Porter and long distance with indoor All-American Allysen Eads. 
 
Porter and Eads were both outdoor national qualifiers in 2018 in the 800-meter run and the 3K steeplechase. 
 
Walsh received a pair of first-place votes and was picked a very close second behind Hillsdale with 157 points. 
 
The Cavaliers had an All-American distance medley relay group during the indoor season while Track Athlete of the Year Andra Lehotay was a dual NCAA All-American with the mile as well. 
 
Tiffin was impressive in its first appearance at the conference indoor championships and was tabbed third despite the Dragons’ winter accomplishments. The Dragons had the remaining three first-place votes and earned 144 total points. 
 
Malone was picked in fifth while Ursuline and Cedarville came in at sixth and seventh. Kentucky Wesleyan, Lake Erie and Davis & Elkins, were ranked in order to close out the top 10 in the spring preseason coaches poll. 
 
Several teams have already been able to their first outdoor meet under their belt while the majority gets underway this weekend. 
 
The conference will look forward sending more auto and provisional qualifiers to the NCAA DII Outdoor Championships held this year in Javelina, Texas. 
 
Returning with All-American honors to the outdoor season this year is Findlay’s Hannah Hahler in the shot put and Walsh’s Lehotay in the 1,500-meter run. Cedarville’s Carsyn Koch-Johnson is also a two-time national champion in the 800-meter distance. 


Great Midwest Women's Outdoor Track & Field Preseason Coaches Poll presented by Under Armour
 

School	Points
1. Hillsdale (9 first-place votes)	160
2. Walsh (2 first-place votes)	157
3. Tiffin (3 first-place votes)	144
4. Findlay	136
5. Malone	123
6. Ursuline	107
7. Cedarville	101
8. Kentucky Wesleyan	82
9. Lake Erie	71
10. Davis & Elkins	67
11. Ohio Dominican	50
12. Trevecca Nazarene	30
t13. Alderson Broaddus	23
t14. Ohio Valley	23