CEDARVILLE, Ohio - Cedarville University, the NAIA women's cross country national runner-up in each of the last three years, is ranked #2 in the 2009 pre-season coaches' poll.

The Lady Jackets earned six out of a possible 21 first-place votes to total 563 points. Ten-time national champion Simon Fraser (B.C.) picked up 11 top votes and 573 points to take the #1 spot.

Biola (Calif.) had four first-place votes and is #3 with 560 points. The rest of the top five includes #4 Concordia (Calif.) and #5 Malone. Defending national champion Azusa Pacific (Calif.), the only team to beat CU during the entire 2008 campaign, is #7.

The Lady Jackets open the 2009 schedule on Sept. 4 at the Shawnee State Invitational.

2009 NAIA Women's Cross Country Top 25 Pre-season Coaches' Poll