LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – IUP women's cross country was picked to finish seventh as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) announced its 2021 preseason coaches' poll Thursday afternoon. 

Defending conference champion Edinboro was the top pick amongst the coaches with Seton Hill second, Lock Haven third, Slippery Rock fourth and Shippensburg fifth. Gannon is just in front of the Crimson Hawks in sixth. The rest of the coaches' poll is listed below.

The 2021 fall season represents a quicker than usual turnaround after the pandemic forced a unique 2020-21 academic year, with cross country moving to the spring season. The Crimson Hawks competed in three meets in February and March, capping the semester with a sixth place finish at the PSAC Championships in Lock Haven. 

The Hawks lose their top finisher from the PSAC meet in Jessica Jones but return a pair of all-conference performers in Bri Herr and Tori James, along with their next three runners in Paige Wess, Erin McGrath, and Emma Grace Alexy. 

IUP opens its 2021 fall campaign Saturday, September 4 at Cal U's Marty Uher Invitational. 

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For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP cross country on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPtrack_XC.


PSAC Women's Cross Country Poll
1. Edinboro
2. Seton Hill
3. Lock Haven
4. Slippery Rock
5. Shippensburg
6. Gannon
7. IUP
8. Bloomsburg
9. West Chester
10. Kutztown
11. East Stroudsburg
12. Cal U
13. Clarion
14. Millersville
15. Mansfield
16. Pitt-Johnstown
17. Mercyhurst
18. Shepherd