The Tar Heel cross country teams make strides every year during their meets, and now the women’s team is making strides in preseason polls.
Carolina’s position of 13th in the USTFCCCA women’s poll released Tuesday is their highest preseason mark since 2011. They are the second-highest ranked ACC team and second-highest in the Southeast Region. In both cases, UNC sits behind NC State, who are ranked No. 2 in the national preseason poll. Florida State, Notre Dame and Georgia Tech check in at Nos. 18, 19 and 25, respectively.
The 2020 season saw the Tar Heels appear in the polls for the first time since 2015, when they ranked No. 27 in that year’s preseason polls. Carolina improved on that position over the course of the season and finished the year ranked No. 14. They equaled that mark by finishing 14th at the NCAA Championships.
The Carolina men are ranked No. 8 in the Southeast Region on their side of the poll.
The UNC cross country schedule begins in earnest on Friday with the Charlotte Opener. For a complete look at the team’s schedule, click here.
Featured image via Carolina Athletics
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