The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebel Men and Women Picked Third in SEC Cross Country Preseason Poll
8/27/2018 | Cross Country
Ole Miss Opens Season in Memphis This Saturday (Sept. 1)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – For the second straight season, Ole Miss men's and women's cross country have both been picked to finish third by the conference coaches in the SEC cross country preseason poll released Monday afternoon.
Alabama earned 10 first-place votes en route to earning the top spot in the men's poll after a runner-up finish in 2017, while the five-time defending women's champions, Arkansas, nearly earned a unanimous decision with 13 first-place votes atop the women's poll.
The Rebels are coming off a 2017 season that saw both the men's and women's squad finish third at the SEC Championships before yet another successful postseason. The Rebel men qualified for the NCAA Championships for the fourth straight year after a runner-up finish at the NCAA South Regional, while the women punched their second straight national ticket after claiming the first women's South Region title in school history.
At the national meet, the Rebel men finished top-20 for the second year in a row in 18th place, while the women took 25th place for their second top-25 finish in as many years. Ole Miss finished No. 9 in the USTFCCCA Women's Program of the Year standings following its cross country season and two top-35 finishes nationally at both the indoor and outdoor national track & field meets in 2018.
Ole Miss returns four total All-Region performers from 2017: sophomores Parker Scott and Waleed Suliman on the men's side, and senior Anna Braswell and sophomore Clio Ozanne-Jaques on the women's side. Ozanne-Jaques, Scott and Suliman also earned SEC All-Freshman honors during the 2017 season. The Rebels are under the guidance of sixth-year cross country coach, Ryan Vanhoy, who is the reigning USTFCCCA South Region Women's Coach of the Year.
The USTFCCCA also released its preseason regional rankings on Monday, with the Rebel men ranking third and the women sixth in the NCAA South Region.
Ole Miss will kick off the 2018 season this Saturday (Sept. 1) at the Brooks Memphis Twilight Classic, which will be held at Christian Brothers University at 9:20 p.m. CT.
SEC Men's Preseason Poll:
1. Alabama (10) – 12
2. Arkansas (2) – 20
3. Ole Miss – 32
4. Tennessee – 52
5. Kentucky – 56
6. Florida – 66
6. Texas A&M – 66
8. Georgia – 78
9. Missouri – 83
10. Auburn – 98
11. Vanderbilt – 112
12. LSU – 117
SEC Women's Preseason Poll:
1. Arkansas (13) – 13
2. Georgia (1) – 27
3. Ole Miss – 39
4. Mississippi State – 71
5. Vanderbilt – 73
6. Texas A&M – 78
7. Alabama – 87
8. Florida – 92
9. Missouri – 115
9. Tennessee – 115
11. Kentucky – 118
12. Auburn – 126
13. South Carolina – 158
14. LSU – 162
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
Alabama earned 10 first-place votes en route to earning the top spot in the men's poll after a runner-up finish in 2017, while the five-time defending women's champions, Arkansas, nearly earned a unanimous decision with 13 first-place votes atop the women's poll.
The Rebels are coming off a 2017 season that saw both the men's and women's squad finish third at the SEC Championships before yet another successful postseason. The Rebel men qualified for the NCAA Championships for the fourth straight year after a runner-up finish at the NCAA South Regional, while the women punched their second straight national ticket after claiming the first women's South Region title in school history.
At the national meet, the Rebel men finished top-20 for the second year in a row in 18th place, while the women took 25th place for their second top-25 finish in as many years. Ole Miss finished No. 9 in the USTFCCCA Women's Program of the Year standings following its cross country season and two top-35 finishes nationally at both the indoor and outdoor national track & field meets in 2018.
Ole Miss returns four total All-Region performers from 2017: sophomores Parker Scott and Waleed Suliman on the men's side, and senior Anna Braswell and sophomore Clio Ozanne-Jaques on the women's side. Ozanne-Jaques, Scott and Suliman also earned SEC All-Freshman honors during the 2017 season. The Rebels are under the guidance of sixth-year cross country coach, Ryan Vanhoy, who is the reigning USTFCCCA South Region Women's Coach of the Year.
The USTFCCCA also released its preseason regional rankings on Monday, with the Rebel men ranking third and the women sixth in the NCAA South Region.
Ole Miss will kick off the 2018 season this Saturday (Sept. 1) at the Brooks Memphis Twilight Classic, which will be held at Christian Brothers University at 9:20 p.m. CT.
SEC Men's Preseason Poll:
1. Alabama (10) – 12
2. Arkansas (2) – 20
3. Ole Miss – 32
4. Tennessee – 52
5. Kentucky – 56
6. Florida – 66
6. Texas A&M – 66
8. Georgia – 78
9. Missouri – 83
10. Auburn – 98
11. Vanderbilt – 112
12. LSU – 117
SEC Women's Preseason Poll:
1. Arkansas (13) – 13
2. Georgia (1) – 27
3. Ole Miss – 39
4. Mississippi State – 71
5. Vanderbilt – 73
6. Texas A&M – 78
7. Alabama – 87
8. Florida – 92
9. Missouri – 115
9. Tennessee – 115
11. Kentucky – 118
12. Auburn – 126
13. South Carolina – 158
14. LSU – 162
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
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