2025 USTFCCCA WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY POLL - PRESEASON

2025 USTFCCCA MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY POLL - PRESEASON

Ottumwa, IA – The Indian Hills Men's and Women's Cross Country squads checked into the preseason national rankings, announced by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Wednesday.

Led by head coach Brent Ewing in his eighth season at the helm of the program, the Warrior women earned 79 team points to check in at No. 12 while the men earned a spot at No. 13 in the preseason rankings with 81 team points.

The No. 12 national rank for the women is the highest for the program since the Week 1 poll in 2021 where the Warriors were ranked No. 9. The No. 12 rank is the second-highest in program history, dating back to the 2016 season.

The Warriors are led by returning national qualifier Tiffani Koonce (Prairie City, IA/Prairie City-Monroe) and fellow sophomore Shmyhia Morris (Memphis, TN/Whitehaven) who are set to team up with five newcomers – Rebecca Duran (El Pasi, TX/Chapin), Abby George (Albia, IA/Albia), Claire Hayward (Eddyville, IA/Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont), Cindy Rose (Brown's Town, Jamaica/Holmwood Technical), and Serene Thompson (Albia, IA/Albia).

On the men's side, the Warriors have now been ranked in the top-15 in the nation in five of the last seven national polls. Indian Hills opened the 2024 campaign last season ranked No. 8 in the nation.

Sophomore Bailey Taig (Perth, Western Australia/Quinn's Baptist College), a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) DI Men's Cross Country participant a year ago, will lead the revamped Warrior roster into the new year. Taig returns as the lone sophomore from last year's squad and will look lead to a talented group of newcomers.

Both programs are set to open the new year at the Platte River Rumble Gold September 5 in Ashland, NE at Mahoney State Park. The event will be co-hosted by the University of Omaha and Creighton University.

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