Eight Big 12 Cross Country teams are ranked in the top 30 of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association 2010 preseason poll. The Big 12 leads the nation with five men's teams in the national top 30.

On the men's side, Oklahoma State, the 2009 National Champion and Big 12 Champion, is picked second this season behind No. 1 Stanford. After earning a sixth place finish at the NCAA Championship last season, Colorado checks in with a No. 6 preseason ranking. Oklahoma (No. 12), Iowa State (No. 18) and Texas (No. 28) round out the poll's Big 12 representatives.

For the women, Texas Tech moved up three spots to No. 4 after earning a seventh-place finish at the 2009 NCAA Championship. Colorado earns a No. 13 ranking, while Iowa State is 16th in the preseason poll.

The Big 12 cross country season is slated to begin this weekend, with Baylor, Texas Tech, Texas, Iowa State and Missouri competing on Friday, Sept. 3. Texas A&M, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas State, Kansas, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma all run on Saturday, Sept. 4.