Aug. 31, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Southeastern Conference released its 2009 SEC Cross Country Coaches Preseason Poll and the University of Alabama took top honors for the men, while the University of Florida was selected to win the women’s title. In a vote by the league head coaches, the Crimson Tide captured nine first-place votes for a total of 11 points while the Gators received eight first-place votes for a total of 15 points.
The Alabama men, the defending SEC Champions, have claimed two titles in the program’s history. Their 2008 crown snapped a 17-year reign for the Arkansas Razorbacks in cross country titles. Auburn received the other two first place votes for a total of 23 points while Arkansas had 26 total points. Florida and Tennessee round out the top five on the men’s side with 37 and 51 points respectively.
In the women’s poll Florida was followed by Arkansas, who finished with four first-place votes for a total of 18 points while Tennessee is picked third after receiving 38 total points. Auburn and Georgia round out the top-five on the women’s side with 45 and 56 points respectively.
The Commodore women’s team is picked to finish in eighth place after tallying 75 total points in the coaches’ poll. Vanderbilt is looking to improve on last year’s eighth place finish at the SEC Championships. VU has posted back-to-back eighth place finishes at the conference meet, despite finishing with 40 more points last year than they did in 2007.
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 2009 SEC Cross Country Championships, hosted by the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., will be held October 31.
The Vanderbilt men’s and women’s cross country team’s will open up the season this Friday, September 4 as they host the Belmont-Vanderbilt Opener at Percy Warner Park. The meet will begin at 5:30 p.m.
2009 SEC Cross Country Coaches’ Poll
Men Women
1. Alabama (9)* 11 1. Florida (8) 15
2. Auburn (2) 23 2. Arkansas (4) 18
3. Arkansas 26 3. Tennessee 38
4. Florida 37 4. Auburn 45
5. Tennessee 51 5. Georgia 56
6. Mississippi State 58 6. Kentucky 63
7. Kentucky 62 7. Alabama 67
8. Georgia 64 8. Vanderbilt 75
9. LSU 86 9. Mississippi State 88
10. Ole Miss 89 10. South Carolina 101
11. Vanderbilt 98 11. Ole Miss 112
12. LSU 117
* First-Place Votes in Parentheses
