BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference released the 2024 SEC Cross Country Preseason Coaches’ Poll on Tuesday with the Lady Vols tabbed to finish fourth in the league.
Points for the men’s poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13 basis, while points for the women’s poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15 basis. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.
Florida earned nine first-place votes in the women’s poll, while Alabama had seven. Arkansas rounded out the top three on the women’s side.
Tennessee enters its first season under head coach Justin Duncan but returns a deep and talented roster that placed third in the SEC in 2023 before winning the NCAA South Region title and finishing sixth in the nation at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
Four of the Lady Vols’ top five finishers from the NCAA meet return in 2024, including Ashley Jones, Jillian Candelino, Rachel Sutliff and Caroline Lyerly. The foursome helped lead UT to the program’s best finish at the national meet since 1989.
At the region meet, all four runners garnered All-South Region accolades en route to capturing their first team title on the grass since 2005.
At the SEC Cross Country Championships, the Lady Vols placed third with Jones and Sutliff earning All-SEC second-team recognition. Candelino and Lyerly landed on the All-SEC freshman team for their performances at the conference meet.
Tennessee’s season opener is slated for Friday, Aug. 30 at home at Cherokee Farms Cross Country Course. The women will open at 8 a.m. ET with a 3-mile run, followed by the men at 8:30 a.m. running a 4-mile.
