Razorbacks picked second in SEC title race

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The University of Arkansas women's cross country team received three first-place votes in the 2012 SEC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll and was picked to finish second overall by the league's head coaches, as announced Thursday by conference office.

            The Razorbacks return seven runners from last year's team that competed and finished in second place at the 2011 SEC Championships. Among that group, junior Stephanie Brown and sophomores Kaitlin Flattmann and Jessica Jackson finished in the team's top-five scoring lineup. Flattmann, the reigning SEC Freshman of the Year, and Jackson both earned All-SEC honors in 2011.

            Arkansas has won 13 SEC cross country titles since joining the conference in 1991 with the program's last league crown coming in 2008. The Razorbacks have been the conference runner-up the past two seasons. The team will be under the guidance of head coach Lance Harter who will begin his 23^rd season at the helm of the Razorback women's cross country and track and field programs.

            Points for the women's poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13 basis with head coaches not allowed to vote for their own team. The 2012 season marks the first in SEC competition for Missouri and Texas A&M. The 2012 SEC Cross Country Championships will be contested Friday, Oct. 26 at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, Tenn.

            Arkansas begins its 2012 season Aug. 31 with the Razorback Invitational, its annual dual meet with Missouri Southern. The meet will begin at 5 p.m. (CT) at Agri Park. This season, the Razorbacks will also play host to the 2012 NCAA South Central Regional Championship. The national-qualifying event will be held Nov. 9 on the team's home course.

For more information regarding Razorback cross country or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

2012 SEC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll

1. Vanderbilt (8)             21

2. ARKANSAS (3)           27

3. Florida (3)                   33

4. Texas A&M                 54

5. Georgia                       68

6. Missouri                      71

7. Ole Miss                      93

8. Alabama                     97

9. Tennessee                  107

10. Kentucky                 123

11. Mississippi State       126

12. Auburn                    132

13. South Carolina        158

14. LSU                         164

(first-place votes)