Ole Miss Women’s Cross Country No. 15, Men No. 18 in USTFCCCA Preseason Rankings

Ole Miss cross country will have both of its teams nationally ranked to start the 2021 season, with the Rebel women coming in at No. 15 and the men at No. 18 in the USTFCCCA Preseason National Coaches Poll released on Tuesday.

This marks the third time in program history that both teams sit ranked in the preseason poll, with the previous occurrences coming in 2017 (men No. 18, women No. 18) and 2019 (men No. 14, women No. 15). Additionally, this is the 28th time both squads are simultaneously ranked, and the fourth poll in a row dating back to the end of the 2020 season. On Monday, the Rebel men were slated as preseason favorites in the NCAA South Region, while the women were came in at No. 2 in the rankings. Last week, the Rebel men were picked to finish runner-up and the women third in the SEC Preseason Coaches Poll.

The No. 15 slot for the Rebel women ties that 2019 squad for the best preseason ranking in women’s program history. This is the fourth straight appearance for the Ole Miss women, who have now appeared in the USTFCCCA poll 29 times in their history. Ole Miss has at least been receiving votes in 21 of the last 22 women’s polls dating back to 2018 and 38 of the last 41 back to 2016.

Meanwhile, this is the 46th total appearance for the Rebel men and the sixth consecutive preseason ranking dating back to 2015 (no preseason poll was released for the 2020 season). This continues an impressive streak for the Ole Miss men, who have now ranked in 40 consecutive polls dating back to the 2016 preseason. Additionally, the Rebels have ranked in 46 of the last 49 going back to 2014 and have at least received votes in 49 of the last 51 also back to 2014.

Ole Miss cross country opens its 2021 slate this Saturday (Sept. 4) at the Memphis Twilight, hosted at Christian Brothers University.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports