Valparaiso University's women's indoor track and field team has been selected to finish in fifth place at the Mid-Continent Conference Championships for the 2005 season according to the preseason poll as selected by the league's head coaches.

Head coach Tyler Wingard's squad is coming off of a fourth place finish at last year's championship. The Crusaders earned 10 points in the league poll.

Southern Utah, the defending champion, was picked to repeat. Oral Roberts and Western Illinois finished in a tie for second in the balloting, while UMKC was tabbed fourth. Chicago State rounded out the poll.

First place votes earned six points in the poll on a scale that saw one point issued for a sixth place pick. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.

The Crusaders will open up their 2005 season on January 15 at the Carthage Invitational.

2005 Mid-Continent Conference Preseason Poll
Team - Points
1. Southern Utah (4) - 24
2. Oral Roberts (2) - 19
Western Illinois - 19
4. UMKC - 13
5. Valparaiso - 10
6. Chicago State - 5