IRVING, Texas – The UTEP men’s and Rice women’s cross country teams were picked to repeat as Conference USA champions in the 2016 C-USA Preseason Poll, as voted upon by the league’s coaches.

Complete C-USA Cross Country Preseason Release (PDF)

The UTEP men clinched last year’s C-USA championship courtesy of five selections to the C-USA All-Conference First Team. The Miners return three of the five student athletes for 2016, including last year’s Freshman of the Meet winner, Jonah Koech.

Koech earned United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association All America (USTFCCCA) honors for his performance at the 2015 NCAA Championships, in which he finished 11th overall and first among freshmen. Koech became the first freshman since former teammate Anthony Rotich to receive All-America honors.

The Middle Tennessee men’s team was picked to finish second led by juniors Hillary Rono and Geoffry Cheruiyot. Both finished in the top 10 in last year’s C-USA Cross Country Championship. North Texas, Rice and Charlotte rounded out the top five of the preseason poll, respectively.

The Rice women’s cross country team won its third C-USA team title last season and was tabbed to repeat in 2016. The Owls have finished among the top three in C-USA championships in nine of the last 11 years behind three-time C-USA Cross Country Coach of the Year Jim Bevan. 

Rice returns seven of its top cross country student athletes from last season, including senior Cali Roper who won her second consecutive C-USA individual title last season and became just the fourth C-USA student athlete since 1995 to win multiple titles. Roper has been named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team all three years of her collegiate career.

Middle Tennessee was also picked to finish second in the women’s coaches poll. The Blue Raiders return two C-USA All-Conference honorees in junior Gladys David and senior Josephine Kiptebeny. Southern Miss, Charlotte and North Texas rounded out the top five, respectively.

Charlotte will host the 2016 C-USA Cross Country Championship, which will take place on October 29 in Charlotte, N.C.
 
 
2016 Conference USA Men’s Cross Country Poll
First Place Votes in Parentheses

1. UTEP (9)
2. Middle Tennessee (1)
3. North Texas
4. Rice
5. Charlotte
6. UTSA
7. Marshall
8. LA Tech
9. WKU
10. Florida Atlantic
11. FIU

2016 Conference USA Women’s Cross Country Poll 
First Place Votes in Parentheses

1. Rice (9)
2. Middle Tennessee (3)
3. Southern Miss
4. Charlotte
5. North Texas
6. UTEP
7. WKU
8. UTSA
9. Marshall
10. UAB
11. Florida Atlantic
12. FIU
13. LA Tech

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