lady vols picked fourth, vols fifth in sec cross country coaches preseason poll

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Southeastern Conference released its 2010 Cross Country Coaches Preseason Polls Wednesday, and the University of Tennessee women’s and men’s teams are predicted to record top-five finishes at the league championship meet later this fall.
The Lady Vols, who placed second a year ago at the SEC Championships, tallied 52 poll points to card a three-way tie for fourth place with Alabama and Vanderbilt.  Defending champ Florida received all 11 first-place votes to earn the nod as favorite, with 11 points.  Arkansas, which accumulated 24 points, was picked for runner-up status, followed by Georgia in third with 35.  
The Vols and Auburn share fifth-place preseason recognition on the men’s side, tallying 49 points.  Two-time defending SEC victor Alabama sits in the catbird’s seat with 13 points, followed closely by Arkansas (16), Florida (34) and Georgia (41).  The Crimson Tide collected seven first-place votes, while the Razorbacks pulled in four.
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 2010 SEC Cross Country Championships, hosted by the University of South Carolina, will be held Nov. 1 in Columbia, S.C.
J.J. Clark’s Lady Vols and George Watts’ Vols open the 2010 campaign in Nashville on Sept. 3, as they take part in the Belmont-Vanderbilt University Invitational at Percy Warner Park.  The UT women, who are expected to be paced this season by decorated senior Brittany Sheffey, will run a 4000-meter race on the Vaughn’s Creek Course at 5:30 p.m. Central time.  The Vols, who return a strong quartet of seniors in All-SEC performer Michael Spooner as well as Peter Sigilai, Steve Fassino and Chris Rapp, are slated to run a 5K layout at 6 p.m.
2010 SEC Women’s Cross Country Coaches’ Poll:
 Pl.    Team (1st-Place Votes)                           Pts.
   1.   Florida (11)............................................... 11
   2.   Arkansas.................................................. 24
   3.   Georgia.................................................... 35
T4.   Tennessee............................................... 52
  T4.   Alabama................................................... 52
  T4.   Vanderbilt................................................. 52
   7.   Auburn..................................................... 67
   8.   Kentucky.................................................. 78
   9.   Mississippi State...................................... 96
  10.   South Carolina.......................................... 97
  11.   LSU........................................................ 113
12.   Ole Miss................................................. 117
 2010 SEC Men’s Cross Country Coaches’ Poll:
 Pl.    Team (1st-Place Votes)                           Pts.
  1.   Alabama (7).............................................. 13
  2.   Arkansas (4).............................................. 16
  3.   Florida...................................................... 34
  4.   Georgia.................................................... 41
T5.   Tennessee............................................... 49
T5.   Auburn..................................................... 49
  7.   Kentucky.................................................. 67
  8.   Mississippi State...................................... 72
  9.   Ole Miss................................................... 73
10.   LSU.......................................................... 95
11.    Vanderbilt................................................. 96