The 2018 cross country season is about to get underway for the Mules and Jennies. The MIAA preseason rankings tell a different tale for both Central Missouri teams.

The Mules were picked to finish second in the conference behind Missouri Southern, which is picked to win the conference for the second straight season. After being selected to finish sixth in 2017, the Mules picked up second in the MIAA Championships. Central Missouri followed with a third-place finish in the NCAA’s Central Regional competition before taking 20th at the Division II National Championships. That success and the Mules finishing in the top-3 of each regular season meet contributes to the recognition they’ve received as the season begins.

The Jennies have a lot to prove coming into the 2018 season after being picked to finish seventh in the MIAA; they finished in eighth place in 2017 after being tabbed to finish fifth in last season’s rankings. The Jennies were up-and-down last season with a strong start in their first two meets before struggling in the conference championships.

“Last year we didn’t place as well as we wanted to at conference,” senior Amy Marx said. “We’re looking forward to getting back to the conference meet and getting everyone together and on the same page.”

Both the Mules and Jennies teams were busy during the offseason. Mules senior Isaac Calvert said the team’s new workouts and training plans helped them stay in shape over the summer.

“The whole team did really well maintaining week by week what they were supposed to do,” Calvert said. “Keeping track of weekly mileage and really getting into the workouts, I think everyone had a good summer.”

The Mules return nine runners while adding four, and the Jennies return eight with seven additions to their roster.

“It’s going to look a little different because we lost so many good upperclassmen runners,” Calvert said. “Our goal is to go out and compete and keep that second place mentality from last season.”

The Mules and Jennies will have their first meet Sept. 1 at the Southwest Baptist Invitational in Bolivar, Missouri.