Ohio Northern men, women each picked to finish second in 2024 OAC Cross Country Preseason Coaches Polls
By Tim Glon
| 2024 OAC Coaches Preseason Poll |
ADA – The Ohio Northern men's and women's cross country teams were picked to finish second in their respective 2024 Ohio Athletic Conference Preseason Poll sconducted by the league's 10 coaches.
On the men's side, the Polar Bears received 69 points to finish tied with Mount Union in the poll.
John Carroll was picked to finish first with 80 points and eight first place votes and Otterbein was selected fourth with 55 points.
In the women's poll, Ohio Northern received 75 points and three first place votes.
John Carroll was picked first with 79 points and seven first place votes, Mount Union was picked third with 65 points and Baldwin Wallace was fourth with 55 points.
In 2022, the Ohio Northern men were 97-16 and finished second in the OAC, and the women were 84-22 and were second at the OAC Championships.
The Polar Bears will open their 2023 seasons on Aug. 30 at the Bluffton Beaver Dam Invitational under 16th-year head coach Jason Maus.
2024 OAC Men's Coaches Preseason Poll
| Rank | Team (First Place Votes) | Points |
| 1. | John Carroll (8) | 80 |
| 2. | Ohio Northern (2) | 69 |
| Mount Union | 69 | |
| 4. | Otterbein | 55 |
| 5. | Baldwin Wallace | 50 |
| 6. | Wilmington | 40 |
| 7. | Heidelberg | 34 |
| 8. | Marietta | 18 |
| Capital | 18 | |
| 10. | Muskingum | 17 |
OAC Women's Coaches Preseason Poll
| Rank | Team (First Place Votes) | Points |
| 1. | John Carroll (7) | 79 |
| 2. | Ohio Northern (3) | 75 |
| 3. | Mount Union | 65 |
| 4. | Baldwin Wallace | 55 |
| 5. | Otterbein | 51 |
| 6. | Heidelberg | 40 |
| 7. | Muskingum | 29 |
| 8. | Wilmington | 26 |
| 9. | Marietta | 16 |
| 10. | Capital | 14 |