Cornell picked the Salukis to finish third in the conference behind Tulsa, Cornell’s number one pick, and Indiana State.

The Salukis won the MVC last season behind Cornell, the 94 MVC coach of the year, and the conference’s top runner and individual champion Stelios Marneros.

SIUC captured nine of the possible 11 first placed votes, with Indiana State and Tulsa receiving one first place vote each. SIUC had a total of 118 points, while Indiana State came in a close second with 105 points. The other teams fall in the following order:Northern Iowa, Illinois State, Tulsa, Southwest Missouri State, Drake, Wichita State, Bradley, Evansville, and Creighton.

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Cornell said he did not vote his team first because he thought his team was a little thin.

I didn’t vote for ourselves because I think we’re a little thin, he said. I also don’t like pressure. I’d rather be an underdog. I picked Tulsa number one, Indiana State number two, and us third, but I think it’s going to be a close five team race.

Indiana State men’s cross country coach John McNichols said he agreed with the preseason poll, and he agreed with the way Cornell voted .

After last year, I think Southern (Illinois) fully deserves their ranking, he said. That’s pretty modest of coach Cornell (voting SIUC third). If I had his team, I would probably do the same and get the monkey off my back.

McNichols said he would be happy if the poll looked the same at the end of the season.

We’ve got a lot to prove this season, and I would love to be the runner up in the conference, he said. The top two teams are going to be great teams. It’s going to be a tough conference this year, especially with Tulsa. They’re coming on like gangbusters.

The Saluki men’s cross-country team begins it’s season at home this Saturday against Kansas and Southern Indiana.

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We’re going to find out what we’re made of on Saturday, Cornell said. Kansas is always tough, and Southern Indiana is a good team also.

With temperatures expected in the 90’s this weekend, Cornell said the race will probably be limited to four miles.

It going to be tough (running in the heat and humidity), he said. The race will probably be only four miles, but the coaches will decide that on Friday. We’ve got to think about the athletes. They’ve only been back to school for a couple weeks.