FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - On Tuesday, Aug. 26, the United States Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association announced its 2014 NCAA Division I preseason poll and the University of Arkansas women’s cross country team checked in as the No. 7-ranked team in the country.
The Razorbacks collected 283 points, and one first place vote, to earn the polls No. 7 ranking. Arkansas was one of two teams to represent the Southeastern Conference in the USTFCCCA Top 30, as Vanderbilt earned the No. 23 ranking.
Michigan collected six first place votes to earn the poll’s top spot. Oregon followed closely behind with three first place votes to come in second, while Florida State, Georgetown and Stanford rounded out the top five. The Hoyas and Cardinal each garnered a first place vote. Last year’s NCAA National Champion, Providence College, was placed at No. 18.
The No. 7 placing marks the second straight day this week that the Razorbacks have earned a high ranking from the USTFCCCA. On Monday, the team was voted as the No. 1 squad in the South Central region.
Arkansas, who was picked to repeat as the 2014 SEC Cross Country Champion last week, is in its 25th season under recent USTFCCCA Hall of Fame inductee Lance Harter. The Razorbacks return two of the three top finishers at last season’s SEC Championships, including SEC Runner of the Year Dominique Scott.
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.
The Razorbacks will open the 2014 season on the West Coast, as they travel to Irvine, Calif., to compete in the adidas/UCI Invitational. The meet will start at 10 a.m. CST.
For more information on Arkansas men’s cross country, follow @RazorbackWCC on Twitter.