Sept. 6, 2001

The University of Notre Dame men's cross country team, which returns all five top runners from last year's team that earned a ninth-place finish at the 2000 NCAA Championship, has been ranked fifth in the MONDO NCAA Division I Top 25. The Irish will begin the 2001 season with the Valparaiso Invitational, which is set for Friday, Sept. 7, at the Valparaiso University Campus Cross Country Course. The men's race will begin at 5:45.

Although the Irish have finished higher than fifth at the NCAA Championship meet, this is the highest ranking the team has achieved in the MONDO poll.

The 2001 Notre Dame men's cross country roster includes All-Americans Luke Watson (Stillwater, Minn.), Pat Conway (Springfield, Va.) and NCAA 10,000-meter champion Ryan Shay (Central Lake Mich.). Shay sat out the 2000 cross country season, but still boasts an All-American finish at the 1999 NCAA meet.

The MONDO NCAA Division I Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll

Rnk, Team, Points

1. Colorado, 397

2. Stanford, 379

3. Arkansas, 342

4. Providence, 334

5. Notre Dame, 327

6. Wisconsin, 315

7. Villanova, 289

8. Northern Arizona, 253

9. Arizona, 237

Georgetown, 237

11. North Carolina State, 216

12. William & Mary, 200

13. Oregon, 194

14. Iona College, 148

15. BYU, 145

16. Indiana, 138

17. Portland, 128

18. Weber State, 115

19. Michigan, 107

20. Minnesota, 100

21. Arizona State, 94

22. Alabamba, 92

23. Wake Forest, 68

24. Air Force, 59

25. Okahoma State, 56

Also receiving votes: Eastern Michigan 52, Dartmouth 36, Ohio State 26, Michigan State 24, Penn State 20, Texas 16, Colorado State 8, Duke 6, Northern Iowa 6, Washington 6, Florida 5, Cal Poly 3, Missouri 3, Nebraska 3, Iowa 2, Princeton 2, St. Francis (Pa.) 2, Cal-Irvine 1.