Florida Gators women’s cross country team was voted for the top spot in the Southeastern Conference 2023 Cross Country Preseason Coaches’ Poll’s predictions for this season’s finish, the SEC announced on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the men were voted to finish at No. 8 in the 13-school league.
The first-place projection represents the fourth time the Lady Gators have earned that honor, having also been selected in 2009, 2010 and 2011. The poll was first introduced ahead of the 2007 season.
This year’s No. 1 vote is also the first time the program earned a unanimous selection since 2010, garnering all 13 available votes; the conference’s coaches clearly recognize the talent level the women bring to the table this fall. They finished fifth at the SEC Championships in 2022 and have a significant amount of contributors returning this season.
On the other hand, the men are projected to finish in the bottom half of the SEC after recording a disappointing tenth-place finish at 2022 SEC Championships. However, the incoming roster does have some experience on its side, returning 12 runners with SEC Championships experience in either 2021 or 2022. The program adds an equally large freshman class to hopefully bolster its roster.
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