Sept. 11, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Kentucky women’s and men’s cross country squads were voted to finish fifth and eighth, respectively, in the Southeastern Conference standings according to the conference head coaches, the league office in Birmingham, Ala., announced late Wednesday.
Last season the Wildcats were voted into the same positions as this year’s poll. The UK women placed fifth at the 2007 SEC Championships held at Lexington’s Kentucky Horse Park, while the men finished ninth.
“I anticipate that at the end of the year, we are going to be better than where we are ranked in both of those polls,” UK head coach Don Weber said. “How much better is too early to tell, but we’re going to be better than those two positions.”
Kentucky opens the 2008 schedule this weekend, when the Wildcats travel to Memphis, to participate in the Memphis Twilight Classic hosted by Christian Brothers University.
The women’s squad returns eight of its top nine runners from a year ago. UK is paced by 2007 All-Southeast Region seniors Andrea Halasek and Jessica Ortman. The duo led the team to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Southeast Regional in Louisville last season.
Adam Henken, part of the All-SEC Freshman Second Team a year ago, carries the banner for the men’s team, along with seniors Bruce Hordusky and Chris Long. The Wildcats are young with increased depth for the upcoming campaign.
Alabama was picked first in the SEC on the men’s side while Arkansas captured the most votes for the women’s title.
The last time a team other than Arkansas claimed the men’s title was 1990 when the Tennessee Volunteers earned the honor. Meanwhile, the Arkansas women claimed their third consecutive title in 2007, notching their 12th SEC cross country title overall.
Points for the men’s poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 basis while the women’s poll was awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11 basis.
The 2008 SEC Cross Country Championships, hosted by Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss., will be held Nov. 3.
For all of the latest information on Kentucky Cross Country, please log on to UKathletics.com.
