NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - The Duquesne women's cross country team was selected to finish fourth at the 2018 Atlantic 10 Championship in a poll conducted of the league's 14 coaches released on Wednesday afternoon.

The Dukes are coming off a fifth-place finish at the 2017 conference championship meet and an 11th-place mark at last year's NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional.

Dayton was picked to defend its title followed by Richmond second and Davidson third. The Spiders won back-to-back championships in 2015-16 after Duquesne won two straight championships in 2013 and '14.

The Dukes return three of their top-five finishers from the 2017 A-10 Championship led by senior Elizabeth Morris (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East), who placed 21st at last year's conference championship meet. Sophomore Tessa Franchi (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) and junior Morgan Perkins (Erie, Pa./Mercyhurst Prep) also return as scorers for Duquesne at the 2017 championship.

The Dukes open the 2018 campaign this Saturday with the annual Duquesne Duals at the Schenley Oval. The action gets underway at 9 a.m. with the men's race followed by the women's race at 9:45.

2018 A-10 Women's Cross Country Predicted Order of Finish
1. Dayton
2. Richmond
3. Davidson
4. Duquesne
5. George Washington
6. Massachusetts
7. Fordham
8. La Salle
9. George Mason
10. Saint Joseph's
11. Saint Louis
12. Rhode Island
13. VCU
14. St. Bonaventure