Illinois Springfield was picked 13th in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) men's indoor track and field preseason coaches' poll, released by the conference office Thursday.

The Prairie Stars received 23 points in the poll after finishing 13th at last year's GLVC Indoor Track and Field Championships.

The upcoming season marks an important step in the continued expansion of the UIS track and field program. After establishing a foundation in distance events, the Prairie Stars are adding sprints and jumps, opening opportunities for athletes to compete across a wider range of events. With the expanded event lineup, UIS has plenty of room to grow as the program continues to develop.

Indianapolis was selected as the preseason favorite with 138 points and seven first-place votes, narrowly edging Lewis, which received 137 points and five first-place votes. Missouri S&T and Lincoln tied for third with 116 points, with Missouri S&T receiving the remaining first-place vote.

The complete preseason poll is posted on glvcsports.com