JONESBORO,
Ark. (8/31/2011) — One year after posting its highest-ever finish at the Sun
Belt Conference Cross Country Championships, the Arkansas State women's team
has been picked third in the 2011 SBC preseason coaches' poll.
The Red
Wolves finished third at last year's SBC meet and received 100 points in this
year's preseason poll, just one point shy of being picked to finish second.
Florida Atlantic was just ahead with 101 points, with Western Kentucky
chosen to repeat as SBC champions.
Anchored by
sophomore Kristina Aubert, last year's Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the
Year, the ASU women appear to be poised to make a run at the conference
championship. Aubert is joined by senior Chelsea Weaver, who finished
16th at the league meet, senior Sydney Foreman, who placed 28th and junior
Samantha Salinas, who was close behind at 32nd. Those runners helped the
Red Wolves to 12th-place finish at the South Central Regional later in the
year. Also expected to run competitively for the women this year are freshmen
Rexi Parcells, Tilda Helgesson, and Chelsey Roberson.
On the
men's side, the Red Wolves are projected to finish seventh, up one notch from
last year's eighth-place finish at the league championships. Arkansas
State received 48 points in the poll, while UALR was picked as the league
favorite.
The ASU men
are expected to be led by senior James Ngwiri and junior David Mills.
Ngwiri finished 29th at the Sun Belt Conference meet last year, while
Mills was close behind at 35th. The duo helped the Red Wolves place
eighth overall and just 12 points shy of finishing in the top five. Also
returning for the men are junior Briar Becton, who placed 52nd, and sophomore
Devin Reed, who placed 73rd in last year's conference meet. They will be joined
by freshman Luke Lindsley, who is projected to be a solid competitor for the
men's team.
“We are
honored that our women's team has been picked in the top three heading into the
season, but our goal will always be to put a team in place that will allow us
to win the conference championship,” said ASU head coach Jim Patchell.
“If we can stay healthy by the time the league meet rolls around, I think
that we will be in a position to compete for the Sun Belt Conference title.
Our men were chosen to place just ahead of last year's finish, and with
the experience we have returning, we certainly hope to exceed those
expectations and be very competitive.”
The Red
Wolves' season gets underway Saturday, Sept. 3 in Memphis at the Brooks
Twilight Run.
2011
Preseason Coaches' Poll
MEN
1. UALR (6 first place votes, 115 points)
2. Middle Tennessee (2 first place votes, 103 points)
3. Western Kentucky (3 first place votes, 102 points)
4. South Alabama (83 points)
5. Louisiana-Monroe (75 points)
6. North Texas (60 points)
7. Arkansas State (48 points)
8. Florida Atlantic (46 points)
8. Troy (46 points)
10. FIU (32 points)
11. Louisiana-Lafayette (16 points)
WOMEN
1. Western Kentucky (10 first place votes, 120 points)
2. Florida Atlantic (101 points)
3. Arkansas State (100 points)
4. Middle Tennessee (88 points)
5. UALR (1 first place vote, 67 points)
6. North Texas (63 points)
6. South Alabama (63 points)
8. FIU (45 points)
9. Troy (44 points)
10. Louisiana-Monroe (19 points)
11. Louisiana-Lafayette (16 points)
