Aug. 18, 2009

Texas A&M International University's cross country teams are picked to finish in the middle of the pack in the Heartland Conference preseason poll. The men are picked to finish fourth and the women in fifth place. Both teams finished in fifth place at the Heartland Conference Championship meet last fall.

The top returner for the men is senior Luis Beltrán while sophomore Marlene Gutíerrez leads the charge on the women's side.

Beltrán has achieved six-career top-10 and eight career top-25 finishes. He earned All-Heartland Conference honors with a seventh place finish at the 2007 conference meet.

Gutíerrez capped off an outstanding freshman season by earning All-Heartland Conference honors with a 10th place finish at the 2008 conference meet. She notched four top-10 finishes and placed second at the UIW Cardinal Invitational.

The season will get started for both teams with a home dual against Texas A&M-Kingsville on Sept. 5. The Dustdevils are slated to compete at the Texas A&M Invitational on Sept. 12 and the Walt Disney World Cross Country Classic in Orlando, Fla. on Oct. 10.

Men's Preseason Poll

1. Incarnate Word

2. Dallas Baptist

3. Newman

4. Texas A&M International

5. UT-Permian Basin

6. Oklahoma Panhandle State

Women's Preseason Poll

1. Dallas Baptist

2. Incarnate Word

3. Newman

4. Lincoln

5. Texas A&M International

6. St. Mary's

7. UT-Permian Basin

8. Oklahoma Panhandle State