NEW ORLEANS, La. - The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) has announced the preseason regional rankings before the first meets of the 2025 season. The Malone University men's cross country program enters the year at #10 in the Midwest Region.
 
Grand Valley State University of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) are atop the regional rankings. Walsh University leads Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) teams with a fifth-place spot in the poll. The University of Findlay in eighth and Tiffin University in ninth are the other teams that represent the G-MAC in the initial regional rankings.
 
The Pioneers will be led by second-year Head Coach Zach Fresenko. The program is looking to build upon last year's seventh-place finish at the G-MAC Championships. Seven of the top eight finishers at the conference championship meet last season return to the squad in 2025, including 21st-place finisher Hayden Schmidt. Schmidt just missed out on All-Conference honors one season ago.
 
Malone finished 13th at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships and qualified for the NCCAA National Championship meet. The Pioneers were second in a field of 14, with Schmidt and Alex Hill returners that earned NCCAA All-American honors. The three other top scorers from that meet in Xander Heil, Tyler Twining and Brylan Holland are back for 2025.
 
The season kicks off on Friday, September 5 for the Mike Beamer Cross Country Classic at Wright State University.