The 2025 Midwest Conference Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll was released Monday morning and the Lake Forest College men were listed eighth.
Voting is done by the MWC head men's cross country coaches. Each coach votes for the other eight teams in the league in order of predicted finish. Points are assigned in reverse order of voting (eight points for first, seven for second, etc.). Coaches may not vote for their own teams.
Lawrence University was atop the poll with 60 points and received four first place votes while Grinnell College was at the top of three ballots and ranked second with 57 points. The other two first-place votes went to Cornell College, who finished third with 53 points. Lake Forest's 18 points were just three shy of sixth-place Illinois College and two behind Monmouth College.
The Lake Forest men placed eighth at each of the last two MWC Championship Meets. Among the returning runners on this year's team is Owen Lashenik, who was the team's top runner in four of seven meets as a freshman in 2024.
Patrick Austin will begin his fourth season as the Foresters' head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside's Vic Godfrey Open on Friday, September 5. Lake Forest will also attend regular season meets hosted by Wheaton College, Wisconsin Lutheran College, and Augustana College. Cornell will host the 2025 MWC Championship Meet on November 1 and Wartburg College the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional two weeks later. The NCAA Division III Championships will be held in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on November 22.
| PLACE |
TEAM (First Place Votes) |
POINTS |
| 1 |
Lawrence University (4) |
60 |
| 2 |
Grinnell College (3) |
57 |
| 3 |
Cornell College (2) |
53 |
| 4 |
Ripon College |
44 |
| 5 |
Knox College |
34 |
| 6 |
Illinois College |
21 |
| 7 |
Monmouth College |
20 |
| 8 |
Lake Forest College |
18 |
| 9 |
Beloit College |
17 |
