JONESBORO, Ark. (9/1/21) – High hopes abound for the Arkansas State cross country teams, with the season just over two weeks away and the unveiling of the 2021 Sun Belt Conference preseason coaches poll.

The league's coaches projected the Red Wolves to sweep the league, with the men earning four first-place votes and tied atop the poll with Appalachian State. The two-time defending champion women's squad was projected to three-peat, earning seven of the 12 possible top votes.

Last season, the Red Wolves repeated as women's Sun Belt Conference champions while the men finished third as a team and Pascoe earned a spot in the NCAA Championships as the league's individual champion. Both teams return multiple scorers from the 2020 season.

On the women's side, A-State returns four of its five scorers, including First Team All-Sun Belt finishers Pauline Meyer (runner-up) and Sophie Leathers (fourth place). The men also return a pair of First Team All-Sun Belt finishers in reigning individual champion Pascoe and Lexington Hilton (fourth place).

If successful, the A-State men's program would claim its first Sun Belt Conference team cross country crown, while the women would win its third straight and fourth all-time.

A-State opens up the 2021 campaign Saturday, Sept. 18, at the Rhodes College Invitational, held at Shelby Farms Park in Memphis.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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2021 Sun Belt Conference Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
T1. Arkansas State (4) - 91
T1. App State (3) - 91
3. South Alabama (3) - 88
4. UTA - 68
5. Texas State - 58
6. Little Rock - 43
7. Louisiana - 41
8. Coastal Carolina - 29
9. Troy - 25
10. ULM - 16
 
2021 Sun Belt Conference Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Arkansas State (7) - 139
2. App State (5) - 136
3. South Alabama - 115
4. Troy - 98
5. UTA - 90
6. Texas State - 74
7. Coastal Carolina - 69
8. Little Rock - 56
9. Georgia Southern - 42
10. ULM - 41
11. Georgia State - 39
12. Louisiana - 37