Troy University Athletics
UALR Men, WKU Women Voted to Repeat as Sun Belt Champs
8/31/2011 10:30:00 AM | Cross Country
NEW ORLEANS – The 2011 men's and women's Sun Belt Conference cross country champions were voted to defend their crowns by the league's 11 head coaches, as announced by the conference office on Wednesday.
UALR's men's team topped the coaches' poll with 115 points and the most first place votes in the Sun Belt with six. The Trojans claimed their second championship in four years and fourth overall in 2010 after placing the most runners in the top 10 with three. UALR returns Dustin Mettler, a 2010 All-Sun Belt performer, and Barrett Kerth, a four-time letterman.
Western Kentucky's women's team predictably was picked to win the conference title once again, receiving 120 points and 10 first place votes. The Lady Toppers are currently riding the longest conference winning streak in the nation at 17 consecutive Sun Belt titles. Having won every Sun Belt Conference cross country, indoor, and outdoor team title since 2006, the WKU women are looking to extend the streak in the fall with a sixth-straight league cross country title. Since the SBC began sponsoring women's cross country in 1985, the Lady Toppers have won 16 team titles, a winning percentage of .615. The squad returns the top-three runners from last year's team that finished eleventh at the NCAA Southeast Regionals, including all-SBC honorees Marion Kandie, Vasity Chemweno, and Michelle Finn.
On the men's side, Middle Tennessee came in second with 103 points, narrowly edging Western Kentucky by one point despite the Hilltoppers receiving three first place votes to the Blue Raiders' two. MT backed its first Sun Belt Championship in 2009 with a runner-up finish in 2010. WKU is seeking the program's 15th league title and first since 2008.
South Alabama was picked to finish fourth with 83 points, followed by Louisiana-Monroe with 75 points. Rounding out the rest of the poll are North Texas (60 points), Arkansas State (48 points), Florida Atlantic and Troy (46 points each), FIU (32 points) and Louisiana-Lafayette (16 points).
In the women's poll, 2010 SBC Championship runner-up Florida Atlantic came in second with 101 points to place just ahead of Arkansas State who received 100 points.
The Owls' second place finish at the 2010 championship meet tied a program best at a conference championship and is the best since joining the Sun Belt in 2006. FAU returns 11 runners, including senior Rebecca Hallam, who finished sixth overall for all-conference honors and broke a school record in the 6K at the South Regional last season.
The Red Wolves are anchored by sophomore Kristina Aubert, last year's Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year, who finished fourth overall at the league championship in 2010. Aubert led the ASU women to a third-place finish at last year's Sun Belt Conference meet, their highest finish in school history.
Middle Tennessee was picked third with 88 points with UALR coming right behind with 67 points and one first place vote. North Texas and South Alabama followed with 63 points a piece. FIU (45 points), Troy (44 points), Louisiana-Monroe (19 points) and Louisiana-Lafayette (16 points) rounded out the remainder of the poll.
MEN
1. UALR (6 first place votes, 115 points)
2. Middle Tennessee (2 first place votes, 103 points)
3. Western Kentucky (3 first place votes, 102 points)
4. South Alabama (83 points)
5. Louisiana-Monroe (75 points)
6. North Texas (60 points)
7. Arkansas State (48 points)
8. Florida Atlantic (46 points)
8. Troy (46 points)
10. FIU (32 points)
11. Louisiana-Lafayette (16 points)
WOMEN
1. Western Kentucky (10 first place votes, 120 points)
2. Florida Atlantic (101 points)
3. Arkansas State (100 points)
4. Middle Tennessee (88 points)
5. UALR (1 first place vote, 67 points)
6. North Texas (63 points)
6. South Alabama (63 points)
8. FIU (45 points)
9. Troy (44 points)
10. Louisiana-Monroe (19 points)
11. Louisiana-Lafayette (16 points)
