SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman has been picked to win its 10th straight men’s and women’s Southern Conference cross country titles in voting of the league’s 10 head coaches, who could not vote for their own teams.
 
Coach Robert Gary’s Paladin squads, who have won each SoCon meet since 2013, both received all nine possible first-place votes in the polls, totaling 81 points each. With a win at the 2022 SoCon Cross Country Championship on Johns Island, South Carolina, on Oct. 30, the Furman men, who swept the top seven individual spots at the 2021 meet, would match the league record for consecutive SoCon team titles set by William & Mary from 1966-75. The Furman women, who claimed nine of the top 10 individual spots at the 2021 meet, would extend their own league record with a 10th straight team title.
 
ETSU’s men, who finished second to the Paladins in 2021, were predicted to finish second again this season, grabbing every possible second-place vote for 72 points in the poll. The Bucs were followed by Samford with 63 points and Mercer with 51. UNCG was predicted to finish fifth with 48 points, followed by VMI in sixth with 38 points and the remaining first-place vote. Western Carolina (37 points), Chattanooga (29), Wofford (18) and The Citadel (13) round out the poll.
 
In the women’s poll, 2021 runner-up Samford was slotted second with 72 points and the remaining first-place vote. ETSU was third with 66 points, mirroring its 2021 finish, as well.
 
Chattanooga was fourth in the poll with 51 points, edging UNCG, which collected 48. Western Carolina was picked sixth with 39 points, just ahead of Wofford, which garnered 37. VMI (28 points), Mercer (16) and The Citadel (12) took the final three positions in the poll.
 
The 2022 cross country season gets under way Thursday, Sept. 1, with UNCG’s men’s and women’s squads competing at Wake Forest. Eight other schools open their campaigns the next day and VMI commences its season on Saturday, Sept. 3, at the Richmond Spider Alumni Open.
 

2022 SoCon Men’s Cross Country Preseason Poll
Team (1st-place votes)	Points
1. Furman (9)	81
2. ETSU	72
3. Samford	63
4. Mercer	51
5. UNCG	48
6. VMI (1)	38
7. Western Carolina	37
8. Chattanooga	29
9. Wofford	18
10. The Citadel	13

 

2022 SoCon Women’s Cross Country Preseason Poll
Team (1st-place votes)	Points
1. Furman (9)	81
2. Samford (1)	72
3. ETSU	66
4. Chattanooga	51
5. UNCG	48
6. Western Carolina	39
7. Wofford	37
8. VMI	28
9. Mercer	16
10. The Citadel	12