EDISON, NJ (Aug. 24, 2022) – Defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Men’s & Women’s Cross Country Champions, Iona University, have been chosen as the favorites in both 2022 Preseason Coaches’ Polls, as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Picked unanimously in the men’s poll, Iona collected all 11 first-place votes for 121 points. The Gaels have won an NCAA record, 31 straight MAAC Men’s Championships dating back to 1991, and the program has claimed a MAAC-leading 36 total men’s titles since the MAAC inception in 1981. In 2021, Iona secured four of the top-five spots and seven out of the top-eight, recording a team score of 17 en route to the title. Rising graduate student, Jamie Dee was named the 2021 MAAC Most Outstanding Runner, finishing as Iona’s 21st consecutive individual champion at the meet since 2002. Finishing second in the poll was Siena College (108), followed by Rider University (88), Manhattan College (84), and Marist College (80).
On the women’s side, the Gaels earned 116 points and seven first-place votes. Iona enters 2022 as the six-time defending MAAC Women’s Champions and overall, the Gaels have collected 17 total titles since the 2001 stanza. Leading the Gaels is returning graduate student and 2021 MAAC Most Outstanding Runner Sophie Murphy, who posted the second-best individual MAAC finish ever at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort last season. Picked second in the poll was Siena, who tallied 102 points and one first-place vote. Quinnipiac University was selected third, receiving the final three first-place votes and 95 points. Rider (83) and Marist (82) rounded out the women’s top-five in the poll.
The full Men’s and Women’s Preseason Coaches’ Polls can be found below.
| 2022 Men’s Cross Country Preseason Coaches’ Poll |
| 1 |
Iona |
121 (11) |
| 2 |
Siena |
108 |
| 3 |
Rider |
88 |
| 4 |
Manhattan |
84 |
| 5 |
Marist |
80 |
| T6 |
Canisius |
64 |
| T6 |
Mount St. Mary’s |
64 |
| 8 |
Quinnipiac |
49 |
| 9 |
Fairfield |
34 |
| 10 |
Niagara |
22 |
| 11 |
Saint Peter’s |
12 |
| 2022 Women’s Cross Country Preseason Coaches’ Poll |
| 1 |
Iona |
116 (7) |
| 2 |
Siena |
102 (1) |
| 3 |
Quinnipiac |
95 (3) |
| 4 |
Rider |
83 |
| 5 |
Marist |
82 |
| 6 |
Canisius |
61 |
| 7 |
Fairfield |
54 |
| 8 |
Mount St. Mary’s |
49 |
| 9 |
Manhattan |
43 |
| 10 |
Niagara |
29 |
| 11 |
Saint Peter’s |
12 |
The 2022 MAAC Men's & Women’s Cross Country Championships will be held at The Crossings of Colonie course in Loudonville, New York on Saturday, October 29. The one-day event will be hosted by Siena College. This will be the second time Siena serves as host of the cross country championships at The Crossings of Colonie, having previously hosted the tournament in 2018. For all information regarding the 2022 MAAC Men's & Women’s Cross Country Championships, please visit
maacsports.com/xc.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 42nd year of competition during the 2022-23 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
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