BRIGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) has released its preseason poll ahead of the 2026 cross country season. The Adrian College men's cross country team was picked to finish fifth in the conference this year.

Hope College was picked to win the conference, receiving seven first-place votes and 49 points total. In second, Trine University earned 41 points and 1 first-place vote. Calvin University received 38 points, Kalamazoo College had 32 points, and Adrian College earned 22 points. Tied for sixth place in the poll are Albion College and the University of Olivet, each earning 16 points. Picked to finish at the bottom of the conference is Alma College, receiving ten points.

Coming off a fifth-place finish in the conference last year, the Bulldogs will look to build on last year's success. In 2025, the men's team took 23rd at the NCAA Regional Championships. They'll return three runners who ran at regionals last season: Ryan Morris, Joshua Sharp-Pelto, and Beau Shaffer.

The Bulldogs kick off the season on September 1 at 6 PM at the Comet Open, hosted by the University of Olivet.