Vulcan Cross Country Picked to Finish Near Bottom

Coaches from across the PacWest Conference don’t expect the University of Hawai’i at Hilo women’s cross country team to finish near the top in Saturday’s PacWest Cross Country Championships.

UH-Hilo was picked to finish thirteenth out of 14 schools in this Saturday’s championship race, held in Riverside, Calif. California Baptist received 13 of the 14 possible first-place votes and was picked to repeat as champions of the women’s race. The Lancers were also picked to win the men’s race, which UH-Hilo does not compete in because it does not sponsor a men’s cross country team.

In five races this season, UH-Hilo has failed to finish in the top three in each event. UH-Hilo was fourth out of four schools at its own invitational on Aug. 29. A week later, the Vulcans were seventh out of eight teams at the Big Wave Invitational, hosted by the University of Hawai’i.

The Vulcans also notched fourth place finishes at the Hawai’i Pacific University Invitational on Sept. 12, Brigham Young University-Hawai’i Invitational on Sept. 26, and at the Chaminade Invitational on Oct. 10.

2015 PacWest Women’s Cross Country Pre-Championship Poll (first place votes in parenthesis)

California Baptist (13) – 179 points

Azusa Pacific – 167

Academy of Art (1) – 149

Point Loma Nazarene – 133

Hawai’i Pacific – 124

Dixie State – 114

Fresno Pacific – 110

BYU-Hawai’i – 96

Concordia – 82

Dominican – 65

Notre Damd de Namur – 49

Holy Names – 38

Hawai’i-Hilo – 34

Chaminade – 25

2015 PacWest Men’s Cross Country Pre-Championship Poll (first place votes in parenthesis)

Cal Baptist (11) – 141 points

Academy of Art (1) – 126

Azusa Pacific – 126

Fresno Pacific – 103

Hawai’i Pacific – 86

Concordia – 80

Dixie State – 78

BYU-Hawai’i – 63

Holy Names – 47

Notre Dame de Namur – 40

Chaminade – 28

Dominican – 18