IRVINE, Calif. – Four PacWest teams earned first-place votes in the 2018 PacWest Women’s Cross Country Preseason Poll, and Biola led the voting with 128 points to enter the season as the favorite.

2018 PacWest Women’s Cross Country Poll
1.	Biola (2)	128
2.	Azusa Pacific (1)	123
3.	Point Loma (4)	122
4.	Academy of Art (5)	116
5.	Fresno Pacific	93
6.	Concordia	81
7.	Hawai’i Pacific	67
8.	Notre Dame de Namur	60
9.	Chaminade	45
10.	Holy Names	40
11.	Dominican	35
12.	Hawai`i Hilo	26
First-place votes in parenthesis

Biola took third place in its first PacWest Championships last year and earned two first-place votes to edge Azusa Pacific, Point Loma and Academy of Art, who all received first-place votes as well. Only 12 points separate the four teams that will be top contenders for the 2018 PacWest title on November 2 in Fresno, California.
 
The Eagles placed three runners on the All-PacWest team last year, including Mackenna Mason, who is back for her sophomore season after finishing in 17^th place at the PacWest Championships as a freshman. Mandy Reyes and Emily Ransom finished 22nd and 23rd, respectively, in Belmont last year and are also back on the Eagles’ roster as the women’s cross country team attempts to bring the Biola athletic department its first PacWest title.
 
Azusa Pacific earned one first-place vote as it returns both athletes that earned All-PacWest recognition last year in Elise Larson and Jenna Wilson, who led the Cougars to a fifth-place finish at last year’s PacWest Championships. Azusa Pacific also brings back 2015 PacWest Champion Eileen Stressling, who did not compete last season. Isabelle Moran, who finished inside the top-100 at the NCAA West Regional last year is also back on the Cougars’ roster.
 
After finishing in a tie for fourth place at last year’s PacWest Championships, Point Loma earned four first-place votes for the 2018 season. Back for her senior season, Hannah Benoit Bucher was among the top-100 runners in NCAA Division II in 2017 after taking 68th place at the National Championships. She took fourth place at the 2017 PacWest Championships, which was the best result in the conference of any returner for the upcoming season.

Academy of Art is picked fourth in the preseason poll, but received the most first-place votes of any team with five. The Urban Knights finished the 2017 PacWest Championships in second place, which is the best result of any team that will be competing in the next edition of the championships. Giulia McIsaac finished the race in ninth place and is back on the roster for this season. McIsaac also finished in 29th place at the NCAA West Regional.
 
Fresno Pacific will host the 2018 PacWest Championships and is picked fifth in the preseason poll. Concordia is selected to finish sixth, followed by Hawai`i Pacific and Notre Dame de Namur. The preseason poll is rounded out by Chaminade, Holy Names, Dominican and Hawai`i Hilo.
 
The season begins on September 1 with eight teams in action, including Hawai`i Pacific, Hawai`i Hilo and Chaminade all competing in the annual Big Wave Invitational hosted by University of Hawai`i. On September 21, five PacWest teams will compete in the San Francisco State Invitational. The Bronco Invitational on October 13 will also feature five PacWest teams, which is the most before the PacWest Championships.
 
The 2018 NCAA West Regional will be held in Billings, Montana, on November 17. The teams and individuals that qualify will advance to the NCAA National Championships in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on December 1.