JONESBORO, Ark. (8/28/20) – After program-best finishes in the Sun Belt Conference in 2019, high hopes continue for the Arkansas State cross country teams entering the 2020 campaign.

The A-State women were picked by the league's coaches to repeat as champions with nine first-place votes, while Appalachian State (two) and South Alabama (one) followed close behind with top votes.

On the men's side, the Red Wolves were projected to finish second with one first-place vote after earning a program-best runner-up finish a season ago. Appalachian State garnered eight first-place votes and was selected to repeat as men's champions.

Arkansas State's women return all five scorers from last season's title run, including three All-Sun Belt finishers including runner-up Pauline Meyer (First Team), Elizabeth Gillette (Second Team – sixth place) and Sophie Leathers (Third Team – 11^th place). Meyer is looking to continue the momentum from the 2020 indoor track and field season, where she won the mile.

All five scorers also return for the men, featuring two All-Sun Belt runners in Bennett Pascoe (Second Team – sixth place) and Seth Waters (Third Team – 12^th place). Pascoe and Waters both claimed conference titles in the 2020 indoor track and field season, with Pascoe claiming the mile and 5000m and Waters taking the 800m crown.

A-State is slated to begin the 2020 season Sept. 12 in Conway at the UCA Cross Country Open. The 2020 Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championships are currently scheduled for Oct. 31 in Mobile, Alabama.

For the latest on the A-State track and field program, follow @AStateTrack on Twitter and @Arkansas_State_Track on Instagram, while also liking the team's Facebook page at Facebook.com/AStateTrackAndField.

2020 SUN BELT CONFERENCE WOMEN'S AND MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL
Women's Preseason Coaches' Poll (First-place votes in parentheses)
Arkansas State (9) – 141 pts
App State (2) – 125 pts
South Alabama (1) – 123 pts
Texas State – 102 pts
UTA– 98 pts
Georgia State – 72 pts
Coastal Carolina – 68 pts
Troy – 68 pts
Little Rock – 48 pts
Georgia Southern – 37 pts
Louisiana – 33 pts
ULM – 17 pts
 
Men's Preseason Coaches' Poll (First-place votes in parentheses)
App State (8) – 97 pts
Arkansas State (1) – 90 pts
UTA (1) – 80 pts
Texas State – 61 pts
South Alabama – 61 pts
Coastal Carolina – 48 pts
Little Rock – 42 pts
Troy – 34 pts
Louisiana – 21 pts
ULM – 16 pts