Pitt Picked Eighth in ACC Cross Country Preseason Polls
8/31/2017 11:50:00 AM | Cross Country
Panthers Set to Begin 2017 Season Saturday
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The University of Pittsburgh men's and women's cross country teams were each picked eighth in the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference Cross Country Preseason Polls, announced Thursday.
"With the ACC being arguably one of the top three cross country conferences in the nation, it's great that the ACC coaches see our teams that high in the preseason rankings," head coach Alonzo Webb said. "That's a vast improvement in our men's cross country preseason ranking from last year and there hasn't been a drop-off with our women's team. Of course our expectation is to outdo our preseason predictions and I wholeheartedly believe that we will."
The predicted order of finish is based on voting by the league's head coaches. Reigning ACC champion Syracuse was picked to claim its fifth consecutive ACC men's title, and the NC State women were selected to repeat as 2017 conference favorites.
The Pitt men rose in the preseason rankings from 13th in 2016 to a tie for eighth with North Carolina in 2017. The Panthers made their best ACC Championship in program history last season when they placed ninth. Pitt returns all but two ACC Championship entries from last season, including top-50 finishers in senior Aaron Lauer and sophomore Nick Wolk.
On the women's side, the Panthers tied their 2016 preseason ranking of eighth, after finishing a program-best seventh at the ACC Championship last year. Pitt returns six of 10 ACC Championship entries from last year, including All-ACC honoree junior Gillian Schriever and seniors Melanie Vlasic and Kelly Hayes. Schriever and Vlasic earned All-Mid-Atlantic Region honors last season, and Schriever went on to become the first Pitt student-athlete to compete at the NCAA Cross Country Championship in 12 years.
In the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Preseason Regional Rankings, released Monday, the Panther women were picked fifth in the Mid-Atlantic, up from sixth in 2016. The men were slated to finish 11th, up from 14th last season.
MEN
1. Syracuse
2. Virginia
3. NC State
4. Virginia Tech
5. Florida State
6. Notre Dame
7. Louisville
8.-t North Carolina
8-t. Pitt
10. Wake Forest
11. Georgia Tech
12. Duke
13. Boston College
14. Clemson
15. Miami
WOMEN
1. NC State
2. Notre Dame
3. Syracuse
4. Virginia Tech
5. Louisville
6. Virginia
7. Wake Forest
8. Pitt
9. Duke
10. Florida State
11. North Carolina
12. Boston College
13. Clemson
14. Georgia Tech
15. Miami
The Panthers' regular season begins Saturday at the Duquesne Duals, held in Pittsburgh's Schenley Park. The women's 5K race will start at 9 a.m. ET, and the men's 8K race follows at 9:45 a.m. ET.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram
"With the ACC being arguably one of the top three cross country conferences in the nation, it's great that the ACC coaches see our teams that high in the preseason rankings," head coach Alonzo Webb said. "That's a vast improvement in our men's cross country preseason ranking from last year and there hasn't been a drop-off with our women's team. Of course our expectation is to outdo our preseason predictions and I wholeheartedly believe that we will."
The predicted order of finish is based on voting by the league's head coaches. Reigning ACC champion Syracuse was picked to claim its fifth consecutive ACC men's title, and the NC State women were selected to repeat as 2017 conference favorites.
The Pitt men rose in the preseason rankings from 13th in 2016 to a tie for eighth with North Carolina in 2017. The Panthers made their best ACC Championship in program history last season when they placed ninth. Pitt returns all but two ACC Championship entries from last season, including top-50 finishers in senior Aaron Lauer and sophomore Nick Wolk.
On the women's side, the Panthers tied their 2016 preseason ranking of eighth, after finishing a program-best seventh at the ACC Championship last year. Pitt returns six of 10 ACC Championship entries from last year, including All-ACC honoree junior Gillian Schriever and seniors Melanie Vlasic and Kelly Hayes. Schriever and Vlasic earned All-Mid-Atlantic Region honors last season, and Schriever went on to become the first Pitt student-athlete to compete at the NCAA Cross Country Championship in 12 years.
In the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Preseason Regional Rankings, released Monday, the Panther women were picked fifth in the Mid-Atlantic, up from sixth in 2016. The men were slated to finish 11th, up from 14th last season.
MEN
1. Syracuse
2. Virginia
3. NC State
4. Virginia Tech
5. Florida State
6. Notre Dame
7. Louisville
8.-t North Carolina
8-t. Pitt
10. Wake Forest
11. Georgia Tech
12. Duke
13. Boston College
14. Clemson
15. Miami
WOMEN
1. NC State
2. Notre Dame
3. Syracuse
4. Virginia Tech
5. Louisville
6. Virginia
7. Wake Forest
8. Pitt
9. Duke
10. Florida State
11. North Carolina
12. Boston College
13. Clemson
14. Georgia Tech
15. Miami
The Panthers' regular season begins Saturday at the Duquesne Duals, held in Pittsburgh's Schenley Park. The women's 5K race will start at 9 a.m. ET, and the men's 8K race follows at 9:45 a.m. ET.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
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