NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - In a poll conducted amongst the league's 14 head coaches, the Duquesne men's cross country team was selected to finish second at the 2017 Atlantic 10 Conference Championship, the league announced earlier today.

Defending champion Dayton was picked to repeat as champions with seven first place votes, followed by the Dukes, who garnered three first place votes. George Mason was selected to finish third, Saint Louis fourth and Saint Joseph's fifth.

Duquesne, under the guidance of head coach Jim Lear, returns the reigning Atlantic 10 individual champion in senior Rico Galassi (Dickson City, Pa./Holy Cross). Galassi paced the field of 127 runners at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville, Va. with a time of 24:32.3 in 2016. Also returning for the Dukes are juniors Christian Kazanjian (Media, Pa./Penncrest) and Cordon Louco (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny). Kazanjian finished fifth at the 2016 A-10 Championship while Louco placed eighth.

Duquesne sits seventh in the 2017 United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Mid-Atlantic Preseason Regional Rankings.

The 2017 Atlantic 10 Men's Cross Country Championship will be hosted by George Mason University at Oatlands Plantation in Leesburg, Va. on October 28. The Dukes open the 2017 season this Saturday, Sept. 2 at the Duquesne Duals at the Schenley Oval beginning at 9 a.m.

2017 A-10 Predicted Order of Finish

(number in parentheses includes first-place votes)

1. Dayton (7) - 178
2. Duquesne (3) - 162
3. George Mason - 161
4. Saint Louis (2) - 155
5. Saint Joseph's (1) - 153
6. La Salle (1) - 122
7. Davidson - 111
8. Fordham - 101
9. Massachusetts - 89
10. George Washington - 80
11. Richmond - 71
12. Rhode Island - 41
13. VCU - 32
14. St. Bonaventure - 14