WATERVILLE, ME- The Thomas Men's Cross Country team picked up 25 votes to get the ninth spot in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Pre-season standings, voted by the coaches.

The squad will begin competition Friday, Aug. 31 at New England College.

NAC Release

Lyndon State College received all but one first-place vote, and was picked to win the North Atlantic Conference Men's Cross Country Championship with 99 points in a recent poll of the conference's coaches. The Hornets, who won three-straight titles from 2008-2010, were defeated by just three points in last season's championship.

Lyndon looks to reemerge as the team to beat in the conference, and returns a host of talent including 2008 NAC Runner of the Year Josh Grant and 2009 Rookie of the Year Kenedi Hall.

Castleton was picked to finish second in the poll, garnering 74 points to narrowly edge Colby-Sawyer College which finished with 72 points. Three-time NAC all-conference second team honoree Nohea King returns for his senior season to lead the Spartan harriers.

Colby-Sawyer welcomes a host of new runners to aid reigning NAC Rookie of the Year Hayden Bunnell.

Last season's conference champion New England College received the final first-place vote and finished fourth in the poll. The Pilgrims look to replace four all-conference first team recipients from a season ago, including the 2011 Runner of the Year, Antoine Gisore.

2012 Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll

1.	Lyndon	99 (9)
2.	Castleton	74
3.	Colby-Sawyer	72
4.	New England College	68 (1)
5.	U. Maine-Farmington	64
6.	Green Mountain	52
7.	Maine Maritime	40
8.	Johnson State	36
9.	Thomas	25
10.	Husson	19