INDIANAPOLIS – The league’s coaches expect Tiffin to continue rolling from indoor momentum while topping the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Preseason Coaches Poll presented by Under Armour that was released Friday.
The Dragons won the men’s indoor track and field season and went on to place third as a team at the NCAA DII Championships, the highest-placement in league history.
For the outdoor season, Tiffin corralled 10 of the possible 13 first-place votes and had a total of 141 points in the balloting.
The Dragons flashed their dominance in the sprints and relays at the indoor championship meet. The program’s depth in the throws cage and also in the jumping events makes Jeremy Croy’s group one of the deepest in Division II.
NCAA indoor champion Jonte Baker is the speediest man in Division II after winning the 60-meter dash going up against the nation’s best.
After placing two national champions (Austin Combs, Eldred Henry) during the indoor season, Findlay was voted second by the coaches with three first-place votes. The Oilers tallied 130 overall in the balloting.
UF first-year runner Xavier Marable was announced as the Great Midwest Track Athlete of the Year and the Great Midwest Freshman of the Year after earning All-American honors in the 400m.
Walsh was tabbed in third and Hillsdale, host of this year’s Great Midwest Outdoor Track & Field Championships, came in a close fourth with only four points separating the two talented programs.
Malone was only three points back of Hillsdale with 109 points to start the spring in fifth.
Cedarville, Alderson Broaddus and Ohio Dominican, were ranked in order sixth through eighth and Davis & Elkins and Lake Erie formed a tie to round out the top 10.
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.
Walsh’s Marcus Myers won a national title in the hammer throw last year while Trenton Classen is a returning All-American in the 3K steeplechase from Cedarville along with teammate two-time All-American Tommy Ansiel in the pole vault.
Great Midwest Men's Outdoor Track & Field Preseason Coaches Poll presented by Under Armour
| School |
Points |
| 1. Tiffin (10 first-place votes) |
141 |
| 2. Findlay (3 first-place votes) |
130 |
| 3. Walsh |
116 |
| 4. Hillsdale |
112 |
| 5. Malone |
109 |
| 6. Cedarville |
88 |
| 7. Alderson Broaddus |
75 |
| 8. Ohio Dominican |
65 |
| t9. Davis & Elkins |
50 |
| t9. Lake Erie |
50 |
| 11. Kentucky Wesleyan |
36 |
| 12. Ohio Valley |
22 |
| 13. Trevecca Nazarene |
20 |