GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Gators women’s cross country team was voted to finish first and the men’s team was voted to finish eighth in the Southeastern Conference 2023 Cross Country Preseason Coaches’ Poll, as announced Tuesday.
Since the introduction of the Preseason Coaches’ Poll in 2007, the women’s team has been picked to finish first three times: 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Additionally, 2023 marks the first time since 2010 that the women have been unanimously picked to win the title, receiving all thirteen possible votes.
Both the women’s team enter the season with strong rosters consisting of experience and incoming talent.
Women’s Team:
RETURNEES
In 2022 the women’s team finished fifth at SEC Championships. They were led by Parker Valby who won the women’s SEC individual title, running at 18:25.87, the fastest time ever recorded in a 6K at a championship event.
The program has retained a large group of runners that have SEC Championships experience including Caroline Bauer, Olivia Jones, Stephanie Ormsby, Rylee Pustilnik, Lucinda Rourke, Jordan Shapiro, Vasileia Spyrou and Liina Winborn.
NEWCOMERS
The team also added the following four transfers: Flomena Asekol, Amelia Mazza-Downie, Elise Thorner and Allison Wilson. Asekol joins the Gators from Alabama where she contributed to a 2022 SEC Cross Country Championship by finishing seventh at the meet.
Mazza-Downie and Thorner join the team from the University of New Mexico where they placed first and sixth at the 2022 Mountain West Cross Country Championships.
Wilson also joins the cross country program from Alabama where she placed in the top-40 at SEC Championships in 2020.
The women also welcome a freshman class of three: Sayla Donnelly, Kate Drummond, and Haley Thornton.
Men’s Team:
RETURNEES
The men’s team recorded a tenth-place finish at 2022 SEC Championships. The program returns twelve runners with SEC Championships experience in either 2021 or 2022. The group includes Orlando Cicilioni, Michael Fiore, Ethan Geiger, Reed Legg, Eoin McNally, Ryan Miller, Matt Mule’, Josh Stern, Javier Vento, Aiden Villasuso, Joe Wester and Mac Wright.
NEWCOMERS
The program adds an equally large freshman class. The group of Parvej Khan, Braxton Legg, Emerson Miller, Gavin Nelson, Riley Novack, Alex Pena and Joe Perazzo look to add youth to a growing and experienced program.
2023 SEC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
Since the introduction of the Preseason Coaches’ Poll in 2007, the women’s team has been picked to finish first three times: 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Additionally, 2023 marks the first time since 2010 that the women have been unanimously picked to win the title, receiving all thirteen possible votes.
Both the women’s team enter the season with strong rosters consisting of experience and incoming talent.
Women’s Team:
RETURNEES
In 2022 the women’s team finished fifth at SEC Championships. They were led by Parker Valby who won the women’s SEC individual title, running at 18:25.87, the fastest time ever recorded in a 6K at a championship event.
The program has retained a large group of runners that have SEC Championships experience including Caroline Bauer, Olivia Jones, Stephanie Ormsby, Rylee Pustilnik, Lucinda Rourke, Jordan Shapiro, Vasileia Spyrou and Liina Winborn.
NEWCOMERS
The team also added the following four transfers: Flomena Asekol, Amelia Mazza-Downie, Elise Thorner and Allison Wilson. Asekol joins the Gators from Alabama where she contributed to a 2022 SEC Cross Country Championship by finishing seventh at the meet.
Mazza-Downie and Thorner join the team from the University of New Mexico where they placed first and sixth at the 2022 Mountain West Cross Country Championships.
Wilson also joins the cross country program from Alabama where she placed in the top-40 at SEC Championships in 2020.
The women also welcome a freshman class of three: Sayla Donnelly, Kate Drummond, and Haley Thornton.
Men’s Team:
RETURNEES
The men’s team recorded a tenth-place finish at 2022 SEC Championships. The program returns twelve runners with SEC Championships experience in either 2021 or 2022. The group includes Orlando Cicilioni, Michael Fiore, Ethan Geiger, Reed Legg, Eoin McNally, Ryan Miller, Matt Mule’, Josh Stern, Javier Vento, Aiden Villasuso, Joe Wester and Mac Wright.
NEWCOMERS
The program adds an equally large freshman class. The group of Parvej Khan, Braxton Legg, Emerson Miller, Gavin Nelson, Riley Novack, Alex Pena and Joe Perazzo look to add youth to a growing and experienced program.
2023 SEC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
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