NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - The Atlantic 10 Conference recently announced its 2019 Men's and Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll of the A-10's coaches. Led by head coach Jim Lear, the DU women were selected to finish sixth at the 2019 A-10 Championship while the men were picked eighth.

Defending champion Richmond was tabbed as the favorite again on the women's side with 173 points including seven first-place votes with Dayton second (159 points) and La Salle third (149 points). The Dukes, who finished eighth last season, tallied 106 points.

On the men's side, La Salle was picked as the favorite with 185 points and eight first-place votes followed by George Mason second with 151 and Saint Joseph's third with 144. Duquesne was selected to finish eighth with 104 points after a seventh-place mark at last year's championship meet.

The 2019 A-10 Championship is slated for Saturday, Nov. 2 at the Oatlands Plantation in Leesburg, Va.

The Dukes open the 2019 campaign on Saturday, Aug. 31 with the annual Duquesne Duals at the Schenley Oval. The action gets underway at 9 a.m. ET.


2019 ATLANTIC 10 PRESEASON WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY POLL
Team - Points (First-Place Votes)
1. Richmond - 173 (7)
2. Dayton - 159 (2)
3. La Salle - 149 (1)
4. George Mason - 133 (2)
5. Fordham - 116
6. Duquesne - 106
7. Saint Louis - 98
8. Davidson - 94 (1)
9. George Washington - 90
10. Saint Joseph's - 72 (1)
11. Rhode Island - 59
12. Massachusetts - 57
13. VCU - 46
14. St. Bonaventure - 13

2019 ATLANTIC 10 PRESEASON MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY POLL
Team - Points (First-Place Votes)
1. La Salle - 185 (8)
2. George Mason - 151 (1)
3. Saint Joseph's - 144 (1)
T-4. Dayton - 138 (4)
T-4. Saint Louis - 138
6. Massachusetts - 137
7. Richmond - 124
8. Duquesne - 104
9. Fordham - 93
10. Davidson - 83
11. George Washington - 80
12. Rhode Island - 40
13. VCU - 39
14. St. Bonaventure - 14