SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? The Appalachian State men’s cross country team and the Chattanooga women’s team have been selected by the conference coaches to win the 2008 Southern Conference Cross Country Championship, as announced today by the conference office.

 

The Appalachian State men, which received 10 of the 11 possible first-place votes and 100 overall points, return 11 runners including five of the top 15 finishers at the 2007 SoCon Championships. These include senior Asmeron Desta, junior Alec Meyer, senior Ryan O’Keefe, junior Phillip Mitchell and junior Josh Houser.

 

Furman, which picked up the other first-place vote and 86 total points, returns eight runners off a third-place finish in last season’s SoCon Championships.

 

Chattanooga, who finished second in last season’s SoCon Championships, came in third with 80 points.

 

The Chattanooga women, which received 10 of the possible 12 first-place votes and 120 total points, return 10 runners from last season’s SoCon Championship team including three of the top 15 finishers at the 2007 SoCon Championships. These include senior Katie Williams, junior Shelley Taylor and sophomore Jordyn Radke.

 

Two teams, Furman and Appalachian State, split the final two first-place votes. The Paladins, who finished third at the 2007 SoCon Championships, tallied 102 total points and return eight runners.

The Mountaineers, who finished fourth at the last season’s SoCon Championships, received 95 total points and return 13 runners.

 

Davidson, which finished second in last season’s SoCon Championships, came in fourth with 93 total points.  

 

The 2008 SoCon Cross Country Championships will be held November 1, in Spartanburg, S.C. at the Milliken Park.

 

Note: Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team in the preseason ballot.

 

2008 Cross Country Preseason Polls

Men

Team (#1 Votes)                       Points

1. Appalachian State (10)           100

2. Furman (1)                             86

3. Chattanooga                          80

4. UNC Greensboro                    70

4. Davidson                               70

6. Samford                                48

7. Elon                                      46

8. Western Carolina                   44        

9. The Citadel                            27

10. College of Charleston            24

11. Wofford                                10

 

Women

Team (#1 Votes)                       Points

1. Chattanooga (10)                    120      

2. Furman (1)                             102

3. Appalachian State (1)             95

4. Davidson                               93

5. Elon                                      81        

6. Samford                                79

7. Western Carolina                   59

8. College of Charleston              57

9. UNC Greensboro                    37

10. The Citadel                          34

11. Georgia Southern                 19

12. Wofford                                16