Men Picked to Finish Third; Women Picked Ninth in Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll

With a third-place finish at the Lone Star Conference Cross Country Championships and a fifth-place finish at the NCAA South Central Regional meet, the Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s cross country team was picked to finish third as the Lone Star Conference preseason polls were announced on Thursday.

Among the returnees for the Lions is senior Tyler Tyndell, who advanced to the NCAA Championships and was an all-conference and all-region performer in 2008. Joining him are senior Robert Reed, who earned all-Lone Star Conference honors in 2008 as well as Brandon Womack, Logan Kelly and Ray Moreno as well as a promising class of newcomers.

Defending champion Abilene Christian received all 24 first place votes and is expected to repeat as champions ahead of Tarleton State and the Lions. Behind A&M-Commerce is East Central, followed by Angelo State, then Cameron, West Texas A&M, Eastern New Mexico and Texas A&M-Kingsville.

The women’s team is led by junior Kate Donovan and has been picked to finish ninth. Defending champion Midwestern State is slated to repeat as champions with 22 first place votes. Behind the Mustangs are West Texas A&M, Abilene Christian, East Central and Central Oklahoma followed by Angelo State, Tarleton State, Southwestern Oklahoma State ahead of A&M-Commerce. Behind the Lions are Eastern New Mexico, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Southeastern Oklahoma.

The Lions will start its 2009 season at the Memphis Twilight on Saturday, Sept. 6.