SAN BRUNO, Calif. -- The Gonzaga men's cross country team was slated third in the annual West Coast Conference coaches' preseason poll Wednesday. The Zag women were picked fifth. GU's Jordan Thurston and Dillon Quintana were selected to their respective preseason teams.

The Bulldog men were picked third in the preseason poll for the fifth consecutive year. GU finished fourth at the WCC Championships last season. The Zags return plenty of talented runners this season, including Quintana, who became only the third GU selection to the conference's preseason team in program history.

Thurston is the Zags' fifth women's selection to the WCC preseason team, and first since 2015. The GU women were picked fourth in the previous two preseason polls, after being tabbed fifth in 2012, 2013 and 2014. The Bulldogs were fourth at last year's conference championships.

Thurston paced the GU women with a fifth-place finish in last week's season-opening Clash of the Inland Northwest in Missoula, Mont. The Zag men took the team title after sweeping the top three spots, including Quintana's third place finish. Jake Perrin came in first, followed by Ben Hogan.

The Zags host Idaho in a dual meet at Mead High School on Sept. 16. The women's race is scheduled for 10 a.m., followed by the men's race.