OXFORD, Ohio -- The WVU Tech Golden Bears have been picked ninth in the 2025 River States Conference (RSC) Preseason Coaches Poll while Indiana University East claims the top spot. The poll, announced Tuesday by the River States Conference office, saw each of the conference's eleven head coaches rank the other member schools in order of predicted finish.

After the top three of IU East, Shawnee State and Rio Grande, Midway was picked to finish fourth, IU Kokomo checks in at fifth, while the Pomeroys of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods are picked to finish in the middle of the conference, at sixth place. The bottom half of the poll sees IU Columbus seventh, Brescia eighth, WVU Tech ninth, Oakland City tenth and RSC newcomer Kentucky Christian rounding out the conference at eleventh.

The WVU Tech cross country season is scheduled to begin Friday, August 29 at the Thundering Herd Invitational on the campus of Marshall University. The season will culminate in Rio Grande, Ohio on Saturday, November 8, when a champion is decided at the RSC Cross Country Championships, with the University of Rio Grande serving as host school.

2025 RSC PRESEASON WOMEN's CROSS COUNTRY COACHES' POLL
1. IU East (99 points, 9 first place votes)
2. Shawnee State (90 points, 1 first place vote)
3. Rio Grande (83 points, 1 first place vote)
4. Midway (71 points)
5. IU Kokomo (67 points)
6. St. Mary-of-the-Woods (55 points)
7. IU Columbus (44 points)
8. Brescia (38 points)
9. WVU Tech (27 points)
10. Oakland City (21 points)
11. Kentucky Christian (10 points)