Friday, October 22, 2010

MACON, Ga. – In the final Atlantic Sun Conference Cross Country Coaches Poll, Kennesaw State and Jacksonville remained in their top spots, positions they have retained all season long. The defending champions of the 2009 A-Sun Cross Country Championships, the Owls and Dolphins enter the 2010 edition as the favorites to repeat as champions.

Kennesaw State’s men’s team gained 10 of 11 first-place votes to stay ahead of the pack, while Belmont leapfrogged USC Upstate for second place in the poll, while also earning the other first-place tally. Jacksonville lost three first-place votes compared to the last poll as the Dolphins earned 6 of the 11, but still held off UNF and Lipscomb for the top spot. The Ospreys and Lady Bisons earned the other five top votes with UNF claiming two and Lipscomb taking three.

Other changes on the men’s side included UNF jumping from sixth in the last edition of the poll to fourth after their first place finish at the USC Upstate Invitational. The Ospreys passed Lipscomb and ETSU, who dropped to fifth and sixth. The Mercer Bears also moved up one spot as they swapped positions with FGCU after finishing third at the Upstate Invite. Rounding out the bottom of the men’s poll are Campbell, Jacksonville and Stetson.

USC Upstate lays claim to fourth place on the women’s side after taking runner-up honors in the their home meet and they are trailed by Belmont in fifth place and Mercer in sixth, who jumped from ninth in the last poll after taking third place at the Upstate Invite. Filling in behind the Bears are Kennesaw State, FGCU, Campbell, ETSU and Stetson.

With no teams in action this weekend, all squads shift their focus to the 2010 A-Sun Cross Country Championship on Saturday, October 30th at Milliken Research Park in Spartanburg, S.C. The women’s race kick starts the fall championship season with a 9 a.m. start, while the men follow suit an hour later with their championship race.