Under the leadership of 2016 USTFCCCA South Region Coach of the Year Ryan Vanhoy, Ole Miss Cross Country looks to forge ahead and continue excellence on the national stage.
Coming off the best season in their history for the second straight year, the Rebel cross country teams look to build on their recent success and reach the NCAA championships for the fourth straight year for the men and second straight for the women.
As the 2017 season starts, the Rebels are predicted to finish third in the SEC on both sides in this year’s SEC Cross Country Coaches Poll. The men are projected to finish behind Arkansas and Alabama, while the women are predicted to finish behind Arkansas and Missouri.
The men are followed in the rankings by Georgia and Kentucky, and the women are projected ahead of Mississippi State and Vanderbilt.
The USTFCCCA Regional Team Rankings were released this week as well.
The Ole Miss men are ranked No. 1 in the South region for the third year in a row, and the women’s team joins them in the No. 1 spot.
Both squads placed second at the 2016 SEC Championship to Arkansas last year in their best combined finish in history.
The men went on to win the NCAA South Regional and the women finished second, propelling both teams to the NCAA Championship where the men stormed to a fourth-place result and the women claimed 23rd.
The Rebels return an impressive cast on both teams. Seniors Sean Tobin, Derek Gutierrez and Ryan Manahan lead the way for the men, while the addition of Arizona State transfer Michael Coccia and several highly touted freshmen give the Rebels a depth of talent. Seniors Emily Bean and Shelby Brown and junior Anna Braswell look to clear the way for the women, who have also added a number of key newcomers to the fray.
The men and women will both kick off their season on Sept. 2 at the Brooks Memphis Twilight Classic in Memphis, Tennessee.
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports
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