@RazorbackWCC Predicted to Repeat as SEC Champs in 2014 Preseason Poll

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas women’s cross country team was predicted to repeat as Southeastern Conference Cross Country Champions, as decided by a vote of the league’s head coaches. The SEC on Wednesday released its 2014 SEC Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll.

Points for the women’s poll were 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.

The Razorbacks were a unanimous choice to repeat as the SEC Cross Country Championships after winning their first SEC Cross Country Championship since 2008 a year ago. Arkansas finished 15th at the 2013 NCAA Championships. Vanderbilt was predicted to finish second, while Texas A&M was chosen to place third.

2013 SEC Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year, Dominque Scott, returns for head coach Lance Harter. The redshirt sophomore burst onto the scene last season for the Razorbacks, as she earned NCAA All-American and All-Region honors and finished inside the team’s top three in each race she ran.

Scott’s signature moment came last season at the SEC Championship, where she posted a 6K time of 20:02.81 to win the event and earn All-SEC first team and SEC Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year honors. She would trump that 6k time two weeks later by posting a personal-best time of 19:40.70 to win the 2013 NCAA South Central Regional.

Redshirt senior Grace Heymsfield also returns for the Razorbacks this season. The Elkins, Ark., native posted a third-place finish at last season’s SEC Championships to earn All-SEC first team honors and also collected a NCAA All-Region accolade with her ninth place finish at the 2013 NCAA South Central Regional.

Arkansas will open its 2014 season on Sept. 6, as they travel to Irvine, Calif., to participate in the adidas/UCI Invitational. The race is slated to begin at 10:30 a.m.

For more information on Arkansas women’s cross country, follow @RazorbackWCC on Twitter.

2014 SEC Women’s Cross Country Coaches Preseason Poll
(Parenthesis indicate first-place votes)