KANSAS CITY, MO. – Montana Tech's Men's and Women's Cross Country teams continue to break new ground in their inaugural season with both squads receiving votes in the NAIA Cross Country Top 25 Polls.

The Montana Tech men's team received 39 votes and the women's team received three votes in the national poll.

"I'll admit that seeing our teams receive votes on the national poll right off the bat was a bit of a surprise. I'd have to think that's almost unheard of for a new program to be recognized nationally in the preseason poll," said Coach Zach Kughn.

The Montana Tech men and women have finished third in their first two races of the season against Frontier Conference opponents. Becca Richtman has won both women's races to start the season and was recently named the NAIA's National Runner of the Week.

"Certainly it is a testament to the talent we recruited and the work they have put in to this point, but it is also a major testament to the strength of the Frontier Conference and the respect we have on the national scene," added Kughn.

The Top 25 is determined by a points system based on how each voter ranks the best teams. A team receives 30 points for each first-place vote, 29 for second-place and so on through the list. 

Montana Tech Cross Country travels to Billings to run in the Rocky Mountain College Invitational on Friday, October 9^th.