Aug. 30, 2017
By Megan Golden
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association released its preseason rankings, featuring the University of Notre Dame women’s cross country program in the No. 8 spot.
The preseason ranking is the best for the Irish women since 2005, when the team was predicted to finish third nationally. The team’s place in the preseason top 10 marks the fifth such ranking in women’s program history, dating back to 1980.
In 2016, the team was ranked No. 14 in the USTFCCCA preseason poll.
Notre Dame’s men’s squad checked in at No. 7 in the USTFCCCA Great Lakes Regional Preseason Poll, while the women’s team was predicted to finish second in the region.
The Irish men and women open their season on Friday at the Crusader Open at Sunset Hill Farm County Park (Valparaiso).
For behind-the-scenes coverage of the Irish cross country program, follow @NDXCTF on Twitter and @NDXCTF on Instagram.
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Megan Golden, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since August of 2016. In her role, she coordinates all media efforts for the Notre Dame women’s soccer and cross country/track and field programs. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Golden is a 2014 graduate of Saint Mary’s College and former Irish women’s basketball manager. Prior to arriving at Notre Dame, she worked in public relations with the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox.