INDIANAPOLIS – The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) announced its indoor track and field preseason polls on Wednesday, Oct. 22, with the Drury men's team picked to finish sixth, and the women's team voted to place eighth.
 
The Drury men were voted sixth out of 13 teams with 79 points after their program-best, fourth-place finish last season. Lewis topped the men's poll with 141 points and nine first-place votes. Lincoln was the only other school to receive first-place votes, placing second with 135 points and four first-place votes. 
 
The women were voted eighth out of 14 teams with 81 points. Lewis also led the women's poll with 168 points and 12 first-place votes. Lincoln earned the other two first-place votes in second with 149 points.  
 
The Panthers' men's squad returns redshirt junior Gabe Bauer, who won the conference title in the 5,000 meters at last year's championships with a time of 14:58.63. Drury also brings back Tyler Harris, who finished second in the 3,000 meters; Nolan Moeller, who broke the school record in the 800 meters last season (1:50.60); and Mason St. Clair, who placed 15^th in the triple jump (13.02 meters). 
 
On the women's side, Drury returns sophomore Lauren Coleman, who finished fourth in the 60-meter dash at last year's championships with a time of 7.73. The Panthers also bring back Josie Diffendaffer, who placed eighth in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters at the championships, and Cera Eckenroth, who recorded the fifth-fastest mile in Drury history last season (5:10.38). 
 
Head coach Luke Karamitros enters his second season leading the Panthers. 
 
Drury opens its indoor season Dec. 6 at the Crimson & Gold Invitational, hosted by Pittsburg State in Pittsburg, Kan. 

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