NEW ORLEANS — Led by returning senior Joey Nunes, the Cal State Stanislaus men's cross country team will begin the season in the rankings.

The men's team is currently ranked No. 10 in the West Region by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) in its preseason poll.

Chico State, No. 3 in the nation, is the top ranked team in the region, followed by Western Washington and Alaska Anchorage. Other top 10 teams from the CCAA are No. 5 Cal Poly Pomona, No. 7 UC San Diego and No. 8  Humboldt State.

Nunes is a returning All-CCAA runner when he finished 12th at the conference championships last Fall. The Warriors finished 10th at the NCAA Regionals in La Jolla a season ago. The Warriors begin their 2009 season on Sept. 5 at the Cal State Monterey Bay Invitational in Seaside.