Women Picked to Finish Second, Men Third, In SEC Cross Country Preseason Poll
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 | Cross Country
The Gator Women will look to win their second straight SEC Championship, as the Men look to build off a season that saw them finish seventh in the NCAA South Regional Championships
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gators' Men's and Women's Cross Country teams were predicted to finished No. 3 and No. 2, respectively, in the 2026 SEC Cross Country Preseason Poll, the SEC announced Wednesday.
In the women's poll, Florida earned six first place votes and finished with 24 points, as the men finished with 45 points. Points for the men's poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13 basis, while points for the women's poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15 basis. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.
The women's program enters the 2026 season, looking to win their second straight SEC Championship and the program's ninth total SEC championship. The men look to build off a season that saw Kelvin Cheruiyot win the individual men's SEC Championship, and finish seventh at the NCAA South Regional Championships.
The Gators kick of their season with on Sept. 4 when they head to Kennesaw, Ga. for the Stan Sims XC Opener hosted by Kennesaw State.
The full 2026 SEC Cross Country Preseason Poll can be found below:
In the women's poll, Florida earned six first place votes and finished with 24 points, as the men finished with 45 points. Points for the men's poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13 basis, while points for the women's poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15 basis. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.
The women's program enters the 2026 season, looking to win their second straight SEC Championship and the program's ninth total SEC championship. The men look to build off a season that saw Kelvin Cheruiyot win the individual men's SEC Championship, and finish seventh at the NCAA South Regional Championships.
The Gators kick of their season with on Sept. 4 when they head to Kennesaw, Ga. for the Stan Sims XC Opener hosted by Kennesaw State.
The full 2026 SEC Cross Country Preseason Poll can be found below:
| MEN | WOMEN | |||||
| Rank | Team | Points | Rank | Team | Points | |
| 1 | Alabama (12) | 14 | 1 | Alabama (9) | 21 | |
| 2 | Arkansas (2) | 35 | 2 | Florida (6) | 24 | |
| 3 | Florida | 45 | 3 | South Carolina (1) | 51 | |
| 4 | Georgia | 51 | 4 | Arkansas | 73 | |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 62 | 5 | Missouri | 86 | |
| 6 | Tennessee | 65 | 6 | Oklahoma | 88 | |
| 7 | Missouri | 86 | 7 | Tennessee | 96 | |
| 8 | Texas A&M | 105 | 8 | Kentucky | 117 | |
| 9 | Texas | 109 | 9 | LSU | 129 | |
| 10 | Kentucky | 111 | 10 | Texas A&M | 140 | |
| 11 | Ole Miss | 121 | 11 | Mississippi State | 154 | |
| 12 | Auburn | 148 | 12 | Texas | 168 | |
| 13 | LSU | 160 | 13 | Vanderbilt | 177 | |
| 14 | Vanderbilt | 162 | 14 | Ole Miss | 189 | |
| 15 | Georgia | 191 | ||||
| 16 | Auburn | 216 | ||||
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
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