NASHVILLE, Tenn.– The 2018 cross country season is set to kick off this upcoming weekend and the Commodores are getting some preseason recognition in polls and several preseason publications.
Southeastern Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll
In the SEC Cross Country Preseason Poll, the Vanderbilt women and men were predicted to finish fifth and 11th, respectively, by a vote of the leagues’ head coaches. The Alabama men and Arkansas women were predicted to win the 2018 SEC Cross Country Championship. The Crimson Tide has won three SEC titles, most recently in 2009. Alabama garnered 10 first place votes. The Arkansas women, who have won five consecutive SEC Cross Country Championships, garnered 13 first-place votes. Points for the men’s poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11 basis, while the women’s poll was awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13 basis. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams. Read the complete SEC Coaches Poll release HERE.
USTFCCCA Preseason Rankings
The Vanderbilt women were also ranked No. 8 in the South Region of the USTFCCCA’s Preseason Rankings, which mirrors the team’s final ranking in the reginal poll from a season ago. The Commodores come in the poll behind fellow SEC foes Georgia (1), Auburn (3), Mississippi State (5), Ole Miss (6) and Alabama (7).
The USTFCCCA Regional Cross Country Rankings are determined by a single member coach in each respective region. The regional representative takes into consideration a team’s returning strength along with current season results (when applicable) when determining a team’s predicted finish at the NCAA Regional Championships. View the USTFCCCA’s full regional rankings HERE.
The USTFCCCA’s national rankings will be released on Aug. 28.
Up Next for the Commodores
The Commodore men and women will begin their seasons this weekend at the Belmont opener at Percy Warner Park in Nashville on Friday, Aug 31. The women’s race is scheduled to start at 5:00 pm and the men’s race at 5:30 pm.
Follow The Commodores on Social Media
For all the latest information on the Vanderbilt cross country teams give them a follow on Twitter at @vandyxctrack.
