Furman picked to win Southern Conference Cross Country Titles

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman has been picked to win its 12th 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 for a total of 81 points.

With the win at the 2023 SoCon Cross Country Championship at the Ivey M. Redmon Sports Complex in Kernersville, North Carolina, on Oct. 27, the Furman men, who claimed six of the top ten individual spots, topped the league record for consecutive SoCon team titles set by William & Mary from 1966-75. The Furman women captured eight of the top 10 individual spots, extending its own league record with an 11th straight team title.

ETSU’s men, who finished second to the Paladins in 2022 and 2023, were predicted to finish second again this season, grabbing the remaining  first-place vote en route to a total 72 points. The Bucs were followed by Mercer with 60 points, Chattanooga and Samford, who had 56 and 52 points respectively. UNCG and Western Carolina each had 39 points, tying for the sixth-place spot. VMI came in eighth with 24 points before The Citadel (16), and Wofford (11) rounded out the poll.

In the women’s poll, 2023 runner-up Samford was slotted second with 71 points and the remaining first-place vote. Chattanooga was third with 61 points, mirroring its 2023 finish, as well.

ETSU was fourth in the poll with 57 points, while Mercer collected 52. UNCG was picked sixth with 37 points, just ahead of Western Carolina, which garnered 33 points. Wofford (31 ), VMI (18) and The Citadel (9) took the final three positions in the poll.

The 2024 cross country season will open on Friday, Aug.  30, with five squads competing over the Aug. 30 and Sept. 1.

2024 Southern Conference Men’s Cross Country Preseason Poll

Team (1st-place votes) Points

1. Furman (9), 81

2. ETSU (1), 72
3. Mercer, 60

4. Chattanooga, 56

5. Samford, 52

T-6. UNCG, 39

T-6. Western Carolina, 39

8. VMI, 24

9. The Citadel, 16

10. Wofford, 11

2024 Southern Conference Women’s Cross Country Preseason Poll

Team (1st-place votes) Points

1. Furman (9), 81

2. Samford (1), 71

3. Chattanooga, 61

4. ETSU, 57

5. Mercer, 52

6. UNCG, 37

7. WCU, 33

8. Wofford, 31

9. VMI, 18

10. Citadel, 9