University of Richmond Athletics
Spiders Second in A-10 Cross Country Preseason Polls
08/09/2011 | Cross Country
Newport News, Va. - After sweeping the Atlantic 10 titles a year ago, the Richmond men's and women's cross country teams have been selected to finish second in 2011 as announced by the league on Tuesday. The preseason poll voting was conducted among the conference's head coaches.
La Salle was chosen as the men's preseason favorite, followed by the Spiders, Duquesne, Dayton and Massachusetts. Rounding out the men's side were Saint Joseph's, Xavier, Charlotte, Temple, Fordham, Saint Louis, George Washington, Rhode Island and St. Bonaventure.
The Lancers were also selected as the women's preseason favorite, followed by the Spiders, Dayton, Charlotte and Duquesne. Rounding out the women's side were Saint Louis, Saint Joseph's, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Xavier, Fordham, George Washington/Temple and St. Bonaventure.
The Spider men and women each improved one spot from their No. 3 finishes in the preseason poll a year ago. After claiming their first conference championship in program history last season, the men will eye a repeat this fall. The Spiders will be led by a trio of juniors in Levi Grandt, Jason Skipper and Chris York, who each finished among the field's top-40 at last year's conference championship.
The women return a pair of sophomores in Alli Mannon and Jill Prentice, who each tallied top-25 finishes at the conference meet a year ago. The Spider tandem will look to help the squad secure its third A-10 title in four years in 2011.
This year's Atlantic 10 Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships will be held on Saturday, Oct. 29 at Frank Liske Park in Charlotte, N.C.
Men's 2011 Predicted Order of Finish (2010 A-10 finish in parentheses)
1. La Salle (5)
2. Richmond (1)
3. Duquesne (2)
4. Dayton (4)
5. Massachusetts (3)
6. Saint Joseph's (7)
7. Xavier (6)
8. Charlotte (10)
9. Temple (8)
10. Fordham (9)
11. Saint Louis (12)
12. George Washington (11)
13. Rhode Island (13)
14. St. Bonaventure (14)
Women's 2011 Predicted Order of Finish (2010 A-10 finish in parentheses)
1. La Salle (2)
2. Richmond (1)
3. Dayton (3)
4. Charlotte (T5)
5. Duquesne (T5)
6. Saint Louis (4)
7. Saint Joseph's (9)
8. Rhode Island (7)
9. Massachusetts (8)
10. Xavier (10)
11. Fordham (12)
12. George Washington (11)
Temple (13)
14. St. Bonaventure (14)
Players Mentioned
