NORTHERN SUN RELEASES PRESEASON CROSS COUNTRY POLLS

8/19/2026 11:19:00 AM

NSIC Men's Release | NSIC Women's Release

Burnsville, Minn. - The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference released the 2026 Preseason Cross Country Coaches' Polls today with the Northern State University Wolves picked 13th (men) and ninth (women), earning 41 and 112 points. Patrick Severson and Emaleigh Olesiak were selected as the team's runners to watch heading into the fall.

On the men's side, I'm most excited about our incoming freshmen and the energy they'll bring to the team. I think they'll push our older athletes to keep improving while adding to our positive team culture. Everyone seems dedicated, ready to put in the work, and eager to have fun along the way.

For our women, I'm excited to see Emaleigh's hard work over the past few years pay off. We've gradually built up her training and increased her workload, and she looks more confident and comfortable than ever. I can't wait to see where her dedication and hard work take her next.

Lynne Dingman

2025 RECAP

The 2025 cross country teams took ninth (women) and 14th (men) at the NSIC Championships. Emaleigh Olesiak led the way with a 14th place finish, earning NSIC All-Conference honors. On the track, the Wolves took sixth from the NSIC Indoor Championships and second (men) and fourth (women) from the NSIC Outdoor Championsips.

2026 OUTLOOK

Northern State opens the season at the Augustana Twilight on September 4 and will host their annual Steps for Shep Race over the Gypsy Days festivities on September 26. For full Steps for Shep details, CLICK HERE. The two programs welcome ten additions for the 2026 fall season.

The 2026 NSIC cross country season gets underway on Friday, September 4 with the regular season culminating on Saturday, November 7 at the NSIC Cross Country Championship held at at Yankton Trails in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, hosted by Augustana University. The men’s 8,000-meter race is scheduled for 10 a.m. while the women's 6,000-meter race will follow at 11:15 a.m.

The NCAA regional will take place on Saturday, November 21st at the Tom Rutledge CC Course in Joplin, Missouri. The NCAA Championships are set for Saturday, December 4 at Rim Rock in Lawrence, Kansas.

2026 NSIC MEN'S PRESEASON POLL

RK.	OVERALL POLL	POINTS
1	Augustana (14)	196
2	MSU Moorhead (1)	182
3	Minnesota State	164
4	University of Mary	161
5	Sioux Falls	121
6	Winona State	119
7	Minnesota Crookston	118
8	Minnesota Duluth	108
9	Concordia-St. Paul	101
10	Jamestown	88
11	Wayne State	70
12	Minot State	53
13	Northern State	41
14	Southwest Minnesota State	36
15	St. Cloud State	17

2026 NSIC WOMEN'S PRESEASON POLL

RK.	OVERALL POLL	POINTS
1	Winona State (11)	219
2	Minnesota State (1)	202
3	Augustana (3)	201
4	Minnesota Duluth	181
5	University of Mary (1)	179
6	Jamestown	143
7	Minnesota Crookston	130
8	Sioux Falls	125
9	Northern State	112
10	MSU Moorhead	96
11	Bemidji State	89
12	Wayne State	72
13	Minot State	61
14	Southwest Minnesota State	50
15	St. Cloud State	31
16	Concordia-St. Paul	29