ATLANTA – EKU, the reigning ASUN Conference Men's Cross Country Champion, was voted by the ASUN's 12 head coaches as the team to beat in 2023, the league office announced on Friday.
The Colonels' Hakim Abouzouhir was selected as the Preseason Runner of the Year after finishing fourth individually at the 2022 ASUN Championship en route to helping EKU capture its first ASUN banner after recording the fourth-lowest team winning point total in league history at 18.
EKU took home 142 points and 11 first-place votes to claim the top spot in the Preseason Coaches Poll while Lipscomb came in second after the Bisons scooped up the final first-place nod and a total of 129 tallies. The remainder of the top five featured North Florida (119), Bellarmine (107) and Central Arkansas (88).
2023 ASUN Conference Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
| Pl. |
Team (1st Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. |
EKU (11) |
142 |
| 2. |
Lipscomb (1) |
129 |
| 3. |
North Florida |
119 |
| 4. |
Bellarmine |
107 |
| 5. |
Central Arkansas |
88 |
| 6. |
North Alabama |
79 |
| 7. |
Queens |
77 |
| 8. |
Kennesaw State |
70 |
| 9. |
FGCU |
46 |
| 10. |
Stetson |
33 |
| 11. |
Jacksonville |
28 |
| 12. |
Austin Peay |
18 |
For the 12th consecutive year, the ASUN took to social media to poll the fans for the ASUN Preseason Runner of the Year. Bellarmine's Nolan Hester was the fans' choice for Preseason Runner of the Year with 360 votes.