Sept. 10, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Southeastern Conference released its 2008 SEC Cross Country Coaches Poll and the University of Alabama took top honors for the men, while the University of Arkansas was selected to win the women’s title. In a vote by the league head coaches, the Crimson Tide captured seven first-place votes for a total of 14 points and the Razorbacks took nine first-place votes for a total of 13 points.
The Tide have won one cross country title on the men’s side and that came in 1973. The last time a team other than Arkansas claimed the men’s title was 1990 when the Tennessee Volunteers earned the honor. Arkansas currently has a 17-year reign on the cross country title.
The Razorbacks also received first-place votes and followed in second-place with 19 points, while Auburn came in third with 31 points. Florida and Tennessee round out the top five on the men’s side with 37 and 46 points respectively.
In the women’s poll, Arkansas received nine first-place votes and and tallied 13 total points for the top spot. The Razorbacks claimed their third consecutive title in 2007, notching their 12th SEC cross country title overall. The Florida Gators received two first-place votes and posted 25 points for second-place. The Tennessee Lady Vols also earned a first-place vote and recorded 31 points for a third-place finish. Georgia placed fourth with 39 points and Kentucky placed fifth with 61 points.
Points for the men’s poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 basis while the women’s poll was awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11 basis.
The 2008 SEC Cross Country Championships, hosted by Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss., will be held November 3.
2008 SEC Cross Country Coaches’ Poll
| Men | Women |
| 1. Alabama (7)* 14 | 1. Arkansas (9) 13 |
| 2. Arkansas (2) 19 | 2. Florida (2) 25 |
| 3. Auburn (1) 31 | 3. Tennessee (1) 31 |
| 4. Florida 37 | 4. Georgia 39 |
| 5. Tennessee 46 | 5. Kentucky 61 |
| 6. Mississippi State 56 | 6. Auburn 68 |
| 7. Georgia 68 | 6. Vanderbilt 68 |
| 8. Kentucky 80 | 8. Alabama 80 |
9. LSU 82 9. Mississippi State 83 10. Ole Miss 85 10. LSU 103 11. Vanderbilt 97 11. South Carolina 104 n/a 12. Ole Miss 117
* First-Place Votes in Parentheses