The Big Ten holds six of the top 10 spots in the men's pre-season poll led by Wisconsin who was also ranked the number one team in the region at the end of the 2010 season. The Badgers are followed in the top 10 by Indiana, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, Butler, Cincinnati, Purdue, and Indiana State.

Six Big Ten teams are also in the top 10 on the women's side led by Michigan who finished the 2010 season in second. The Wolverines are followed in the top 10 by Toledo, Michigan State, Indiana, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Central Michigan, Miami (Ohio), Purdue, and Oakland.

The Sycamores are the lone Missouri Valley Conference school in the Great Lakes Region. Most of the other MVC schools are in the Midwest Region where Southern Illinois holds down the ninth spot and Drake opens the season in 12th in the men's poll. Wichita State is the top ranked women's team as they open the season in 9th with Illinois State 11th and Missouri State 14th.

The Indiana State men's cross country team was picked to defend their championship in the pre-season MVC poll while the Sycamore women were picked sixth. The annual pre-season poll of league coaches was released earlier this month.

The Sycamore men garnered six first place votes and 77 points to top the poll for the 2011 MVC Championship which will be held on the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center October 30. The Indiana State women also received a first place vote and had 59 points to be picked sixth for this year's championship.

Indiana State will open the 2011 campaign on Saturday when they run in the Evansville Mid-America. The Sycamores will host the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Cross Country National Championship for the ninth straight year. This year's event will be held on Nov. 21.