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Cross Country Teams Picked to Finish Seventh and Eighth in the SEC Both cross country teams will feature extremely young rosters in 2012



Aug. 16, 2012

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -

The University of Alabama men’s and women’s cross country teams were picked to finish seventh and eighth, respectively, in the Southeastern Conference by the league’s head coaches in their annual preseason poll.

The Crimson Tide’s men’s program earned 84 points to come in seventh in the 13-team men’s field ranking just ahead of Tennessee and behind new SEC member Missouri. Points for the men's poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 scale based on projected order of finish at the SEC Championships. Defending champion Arkansas was the preseason favorite with 15 points and nine of the 13 first-place votes.

UA’s men’s team finished fifth at last season’s SEC Championships with a veteran squad that has since graduated. As such, second-year head coach Dan Waters will have an extremely young roster with just one sophomore supported by a very talented group of 11 freshmen.

The women’s squad earned its eighth place preseason ranking after finishing sixth at the SEC Championships in 2011. Alabama was projected to finish just ahead of Tennessee and one spot behind Mississippi with 97 points. Defending champion Vanderbilt was named the preseason favorite with 21 points and eight of the 14 first-place votes.

Much like their male counterparts, the women’s team is also tasked with the challenge of developing an extremely young roster with just three experienced runners on the roster this season after seeing the bulk of last season’s team graduate.

The two teams get the 2012 season underway on Sept. 1 when UA hosts the Crimson Tide Cross Country Kick-Off at the Harry Pritchett Running Course.

2012 SEC Men's Predicted Order of Finish
1.Arkansas (9) -- 15
2.Florida (1) -- 28
3.Texas A&M (3) -- 31
4.Georgia -- 44
5.Kentucky -- 65
6.Missouri -- 70
7.Alabama -- 84
8.Tennessee -- 87
9.Ole Miss -- 100
10.Auburn -- 103
11.Mississippi State -- 112
12.LSU -- 131
13.Vanderbilt -- 144

2012 SEC Women's Predicted Order of Finish
1.Vanderbilt (8) -- 21
2.Arkansas (3) -- 27
3.Florida (3) -- 33
4.Texas A&M -- 54
5.Georgia -- 68
6.Missouri -- 71
7.Ole Miss -- 93
8.Alabama -- 97
9.Tennessee -- 107
10.Kentucky -- 123
11.Mississippi State -- 126
12.Auburn -- 132
13.South Carolina -- 158
14.LSU – 164