With the cross country season quickly approaching, both the men’s and women’s Middle Tennessee cross country teams were picked to finish second in the 2016 Conference USA Preseason Poll released this morning.
The men’s team finished in second place during last year’s C-USA Conference Championships, and received one first place vote in this year’s poll. The women’s team also finished second in last year’s championships, and received three first place votes in the poll.
Reigning men’s C-USA champions UTEP, were voted to repeat as champions this upcoming year. The Rice women’s team were voted to win back-to-back championships this upcoming season as well.
These rankings were not a shock to anyone, especially Head Cross Country Coach Keith Vroman.
“The conference got it right this year,” stated Vroman. “On both sides men’s and women’s, I believe that we were placed right where we should be. There we no surprises to me in the ranikings.”
The MT men’s squad returns five from last season’s team, four of the five finished in the top-20 at the C-USA Championships in Bowling Green, Ky. The team is returning Hillary Rono and Geoffry Cheruiyot, Shadrack Matelong, Amos Cheruiyot, and Kigen Chemadi. The addition of transfer of Sampson Laari, also bodes well for the Blue Raiders.
The women’s squad returns four runners from last year, including two seniors in Hannah Maina and Josephine Kiptebeny. The women’s squad also returns Agnes Abu, and Rhema Cheruiyot, while adding four talented freshmen, Susan Aneno, Rachel Kigen, Sharon Kibiwott, and Abike Egbeniyi.
The Blue Raiders are slated to compete in five regular season meets and start their year at the Brooks Twilight Classic in Memphis, Tenn., Sept. 3.
2016 Conference USA Men’s Cross Country Poll
First Place Votes in Parentheses
1. UTEP (9)
2. Middle Tennessee (1)
3. North Texas
4. Rice
5. Charlotte
6. UTSA
7. Marshall
8. LA Tech
9. WKU
10. Florida Atlantic
11. FIU
2016 Conference USA Women’s Cross Country Poll
First Place Votes in Parentheses
1. Rice (9)
2. Middle Tennessee (3)
3. Southern Miss
4. Charlotte
5. North Texas
6. UTEP
7. WKU
8. UTSA
9. Marshall
10. UAB
11. Florida Atlantic
12. FIU
13. LA Tech
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