Coaches predict Tennessee, Florida to win SEC XC titles
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (August 29, 2023)----- The Tennessee men's cross country team and Florida women's cross country team have been predicted to win the 2023 Southeastern Conference Cross Country Championships, according to a vote of the league's head coaches. Tennessee and Arkansas garnered five first place votes in the men's poll, while Alabama had two. Arkansas was picked to finish second, while Alabama was picked third.
Florida was the unanimous pick to win the women's title with 13 first place votes. Arkansas was predicted to finish second, followed by Alabama in third.
Points for the men's poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11 basis, while points for the women's poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13 basis. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams. The SEC cross country season is set to begin the weekend of Sept. 1, and the 2023 SEC Cross Country Championships are slated to take place Friday, Oct. 27 in Columbia, S.C. Alabama swept the men's and women's titles last year.
2023 SEC Cross Country Coaches Preseason Poll
(parentheses indicates first-place votes)
| RANK | TEAM | POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Tennessee (5) |
20 |
| 2 |  Arkansas (5) |
21 |
| 3 |  Alabama (2) |
23 |
| 4 |  Ole Miss |
43 |
| 5 |  Texas A&M |
60 |
| 6 |  Kentucky |
64 |
| 7 |  Auburn |
67 |
| 8 |  Florida |
74 |
| 9 |  Missouri |
92 |
| 10 |  Georgia |
98 |
| T11 |  LSU |
110 |
| T11 |  Vanderbilt |
120 |
| RANK | TEAM | POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida (13) |
13 |
| 2 | Arkansas (1) |
26 |
| 3 | Alabama |
45 |
| 4 | Ole Miss |
53 |
| 5 |  Tennessee |
54 |
| 6 | LSU |
94 |
| 7 | Kentucky |
102 |
| T8 | Auburn |
104 |
| T8 | Texas A&M |
104 |
| 10 | Vanderbilt |
114 |
| 11 |  South Carolina |
120 |
| 12 | Missouri |
122 |
| 13 | Georgia |
161 |
| 14 |  Mississippi State |
162 |