WALESKA, Ga. – The Appalachian Athletics Conference has released its preseason coaches poll for men's cross country, with the University of Pikeville picked 12^th in the 14-team field.
 
The Bears will be under the leadership of first-year coach Anthony Kowalczyk, who was hired as director of cross country and track and field earlier this month.
 
Kowalczyk came to Pikeville from his alma mater, Saint Xavier University in Chicago, where he has coached since 2018. He joined the staff as a student coach and graduate assistant of both football and track and field. In June 2020, he was promoted to his current position as the assistant cross country/track and field coach and recruiting coordinator.
 
Prior to that, he spent 18 months as assistant track and field coach at Chicago's Steinmetz College Prep.
 
Milligan (Tenn.) University was selected the overwhelming favorite two win the league, picking up 10 of the 12 first-place votes and 165 voting points. Montreat (N.C.) University followed with 156 points and a first-place vote, while SCAD Atlanta was third with the remaining first-place vote and 145 points.
 
The full poll is as follows:
 
School (First-Place Votes) - Total Voting Points
1. Milligan (10) - 165
2. Montreat (1) - 156
3. SCAD Atlanta (1) - 145
4. Reinhardt - 128
5. Tennessee Wesleyan - 123
6. Truett McConnell - 99
7. Bryan - 96
8. Columbia - 83
9. Spartanburg Methodist - 59
10. Columbia International - 57
11. Union Commonwealth - 55
12. UPike - 46
13. Johnson - 33
14. Bluefield – 15