ST. PAUL – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) released the 2025 Men’s Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll on Friday with UW-Superior being predicted to win the conference championship. The poll is voted on by all the head coaches in the conference. Coaches cannot vote for their own team.
Complete poll
| Place |
School |
Points |
| 1 |
UW-Superior (6) |
36 |
| 2 |
Martin Luther (1) |
27 |
| 3 |
Crown |
26 |
| 4 |
Bethany Lutheran |
20 |
| 5 |
Northwestern |
19 |
| 6 |
Minnesota Morris |
11 |
| 7 |
North Central |
8 |
#1 UW-Superior: 36 points
The YellowJackets led the preseason poll with 36 points and six first-place votes from their conference competitors.
UW-Superior won the 2024 UMAC Cross Country Championships with 22 points. The ‘Jackets also placed 23rd at the NCAA Division III Regional Championships.
Head Coach: Glen Drexler | 16th Season |
Top Returners
- Dylan Uitto, Jr. | First-team All-UMAC | 2024 Championships: 4th, 26:55.6, 3rd team finisher |
- Ben Placker, Jr. | First-team All-UMAC | 2024 Championships: 5th, 27:02.3, 4th team finisher |
- Maverick Hoogland, So. | Second-team All-UMAC | UMAC Rookie of the Year | 2024 Championships: 10th, 27:45.6, 5th team finisher |
#2 Martin Luther: 27 points
The Knights earned 27 points for a second-place spot in this poll, and earned the final first-place vote.
Head Coach: Mark Weinkauf | 6th season
Top Returners:
- Eliott Heiderich, Sophomore |Second-team All-UMAC | 2024 Championships: ninth overall, 27:36.6, 2nd team finisher |
- Dan Ertman, Sophomore, |Second-team All-UMAC| 2024 Championships: 16th overall, 28:34.4, 3rd team finisher
- Elijah Hutchinson, Junior | 2024 Championships: 22nd overall, 29:06.2, 4th team finisher
#3 Crown: 26 points
The Polars received 26 points for the third spot on the poll.
Head coach: Grant DeWitt | 3rd season|
Top Returners
- Caden Swoboda, Senior | 2024 Championships: 18th, 28:53, 3rd team finisher|
#4 Bethany Lutheran: 20 points
The Vikings had 20 points for fourth in the poll.
Head coach: Dominic Santina | 1st season
Top Returners:
- James Younge, Jr. | 2024 Championships: 30th, 29:45.9, 2nd team finisher
- Ben Halvorson, So. | 2024 Championships: 43rd, 31:50.3, 3rd team finisher
#5 Northwestern: 19 points
The Eagles received 19 points for the fifth spot on the poll.
Head coach: Patrick Fitzgerald | 2nd Season |
Top Returners:
- Owen Van De Riet, Jr. |24th at UMAC Championships (29:13), 3rd team finisher
- Peter Kephart, Jr. |32nd at UMAC Championships (30:13), 6th team finisher
#6 Minnesota Morris: 11 points
The Cougars earned 11 points for sixth on the poll.
Head coach: Caroline Collet | 1st year |
Top Returners:
- Noah Johnson, sophomore | 2024 Championships: 19th, 29:01.6, 1st team finisher
- Tyler Franke, sophomore | 2024 Championships: 38th, 30:53.5, 3rd team finisher
- Ethan Koehler, sophomore|2024 Championships: 45th, 32:08.1, 4th team finisher
#7 North Central: 8 points
The Rams earned eight points to round out the poll.
Head coach: Delaney Butler | 1st season |
Top Returners
- Garrett Converse, SR | UMAC Second Team All-Conference | 7th place at NCCAA Regionals | 2024 Championships: 14th place, 28:23, 1st team finisher |
- Leighton Helander, SO | 2024 Championships: 34th place, 30:28, 2nd team finisher |
- Colton Hagen, SO | 2024 Championships: 44th place, 31:51, 3rd team finisher |
The 2025 UMAC Men's Cross Country Championship will be held Saturday, November 1 in Winthrop, Minnesota. The athletes will be running an eight-kilometer course. The event will be hosted at the Winthrop Golf Club.