Tuesday, October 09, 2007

MACON, Ga. – After a month in which both the Belmont men and women held unanimous No. 1 positions in the Atlantic Sun’s bi-weekly cross country polls, ETSU’s men’s team cut into Belmont’s lead in the penultimate coaches’ poll. The Buccaneers remain the solid second choice after picking up three first-place votes. ETSU cut eight points off of Belmont’s lead in the poll from two weeks ago. In the previous three polls, only one first-place vote, on either side, had not gone to Belmont.

ETSU picked up support following a seventh-place finish at the Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic. At that meet, ETSU’s Kenneth Rotich turned in the fastest 8K time among the Atlantic Sun runners. Rotich was joined by teammates Jeff Crane, Michael Deren and Jordan Ladd with times within 40 seconds of Rotich’s time. The four have the four fastest 8K times in the league. Belmont’s Kipkosgei Magut break’s up the Buccaneer fleet with the fifth-fasted time.

The Bruins’ women’s team remained a unanimous choice for the fourth consecutive poll. They have been a unanimous choice all season. Following the Bruins in the poll was UNF who regained the solo second spot despite not running in the previous two weeks. Kennesaw State fell out of the tie after posting an 11th-place finish at Auburn and a seventh-place finish at the Disney World Cross Country Classic. The Owls were without top runner Erin Sutton for the Auburn meet, but in her place, freshman Mackenzie Howe ran the fastest 5K time in the Atlantic Sun.

As the season has progressed and more becomes known about the A-Sun teams, this week’s polls have resulted in its most stable to date. The only changes in the men’s poll were at the fourth and sixth positions between UNF and Campbell but those teams were separated by two points in the previous poll. On the women’s side, after breaking the ties for second and 11th, no teams moved from their spot held in the previous poll.

The final coaches’ poll will come out on October 23, the Tuesday before the Atlantic Sun Championships are held at Lipscomb on Saturday the 27th. Belmont is defending champion on the women’s side while the men have won the last five A-Sun championships.

The Atlantic Sun Conference is a 12-member league committed to Building Winners for Life, with a focus on academic and athletic integrity and a balance between the two for the student-athlete, and maintaining a high level of sportsmanship. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun encompasses six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun consists of some of the most dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Gardner-Webb University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.