AUBURN, Ala.—The Auburn men's cross country team is ranked fifth in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association preseason South Regional rankings, the USTFCCCA released Tuesday. It is the highest preseason ranking for the Auburn men since being ranked third in 2016.
The Southeastern Conference also announced on Tuesday its cross country coaches' preseason poll. Auburn's men were picked seventh, while the Tiger women were tied for eighth. It's the highest preseason finish for the men since 2014 and 2010 for the women. The women were picked seventh in the 2010 preseason coaches' poll, while in 2014, the AU men were selected fifth.
The Tiger men return six letterwinners including Ryan Kinnane who was 11th at the SEC Championships a year ago and qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Auburn's women return five letterwinners from 2023 including Samantha Rogers and Gene Coetzee who both were top 25 at the SEC meet last season.
Auburn begins the 2023 cross country schedule on Friday, September 1 at the Foothills Invitational in Oxford, Alabama. The women's 4k will start at 5:45 p.m. CT with the men's 5k to follow at 6:20 p.m. at Choccolocco Park. A total of 25 men's teams and 27 women's teams will be competing in the 17th annual event.