_Nelson_Karisa_1.JPG&height=300&type=webp)
Senior Karisa Nelson is the reigning SoCon Female Athlete of The Year.
Photo by: Caroline Summers
Bulldogs Look To Build Off Historic 2016 Campaign
8.29.17 | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
  SPARTANBURG, S.C. - - Both the men's and women's Samford University cross country teams were predicted to take second in the Southern Conference Championships this year as the league office released the coaches' annual voting results Tuesday.
Â
Last year, in Head Coach Pat McGregor's first year heading up the Samford Cross Country squads, the Bulldogs placed second in both men's and women's competition at the SoCon Championships. The Bulldogs will be coming off of a historic year as the 2016 season was the first time the Bulldog men finished higher than fourth at the conference meet, while the women had not placed higher than third since winning back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010.
Â
Following the conference meet, the Bulldogs sent five total athletes to the NCAA Division I South Regional Cross Country Championships where standouts Arsène Guillorel and Karisa Nelson qualified for the NCAA Championships.
Â
The Bulldogs have quite a few returners who have seen success as Nelson and Emma Garner were both named to the All-SoCon First Team while Anna Long and Mary Grace Strozier were named to the Second Team at least year's SoCon Championships. Nelson was also named Runner of the Year for the 2016 season along with '16-'17 SoCon Female Athlete of The Year.
Â
On the men's side, All-SoCon First-Team athlete Guillorel will be returning along with All-SoCon Second Team performer Ben Bryant and All-SoCon Freshman Team member Dillon Dean.
Â
For the fourth straight year, the Furman men's and women's cross country teams were selected as the preseason favorites to take the SoCon titles, as voted by all 10 of the league's coaches. The Paladins are the four-time reigning SoCon champions on both the men's and women's sides and earned the maximum possible first-place votes in both polls. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.
Â
In the men's poll, Samford received 69 points to place second, while ETSU followed closely behind with 65 points and the remaining first-place vote for the third spot. VMI checks in fourth with 59 points, followed by Chattanooga with 45 points and Wofford with 38. Western Carolina (35), UNCG (26), The Citadel (21) and Mercer (11) round out slots 7-10, respectively.
Â
Samford was voted second in the women's poll with 72 points, followed by ETSU, who received 63 votes and the remaining first-place vote. Chattanooga is slotted fourth with 55 points, while Wofford placed fifth with 46 points. Rounding out the poll on the women's side are UNCG (41), Western Carolina (33), VMI (31), Mercer (19) and The Citadel (9).
Â
The opening USTFCCCA rankings on the women's side have the Bulldogs just cracking the top 10 with a No. 9 ranking in the South Region just behind Florida (8) Lipscomb (7) and in state rival Alabama (4) while Georgia Tech rounds out the top 10. Â On the men's side of the USTFCCA South region rankings The Bulldogs come in at No. 6 just behind Alabama (4) and Florida State (5) while teams such as Florida (8) Tennessee (10) and ETSU (14) are ranked behind the 'Dogs
Â
Samford's 2017 schedule will include meets at Louisville, Ky and Tuscaloosa, Ala while the conference meet will be held in Spartanburg, S.C.
Â
For quick score updates, breaking news and links to all of your favorite articles featuring the Bulldogs, please follow @SamfordTrack and @Samford_Sports on Twitter.
Â
 2017 Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll
Â
 1. Furman(9), 81
 2. Samford, 69
 3. ETSU(1), 65
 4. VMI, 59
 5. Chattanooga, 45
 6. Wofford, 38
 7. Western Carolina, 35
 8. UNCG, 26
 9. The Citadel, 21
 10. Mercer, 11
Â
2017 Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
Â
 1. Furman (9), 81
 2. Samford, 72
 3. ETSU (1), 63
 4. Chattanooga, 55
 5. Wofford, 46
 6. UNCG, 41
 7. Western Carolina, 33
 8. VMI, 31
 9. Mercer, 19
 10. The Citadel, 9
Â
() denotes first-place votes
Â
Â
Â
--- SAMFORD BULLDOGS ---
Â
Â
Last year, in Head Coach Pat McGregor's first year heading up the Samford Cross Country squads, the Bulldogs placed second in both men's and women's competition at the SoCon Championships. The Bulldogs will be coming off of a historic year as the 2016 season was the first time the Bulldog men finished higher than fourth at the conference meet, while the women had not placed higher than third since winning back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010.
Â
Following the conference meet, the Bulldogs sent five total athletes to the NCAA Division I South Regional Cross Country Championships where standouts Arsène Guillorel and Karisa Nelson qualified for the NCAA Championships.
Â
The Bulldogs have quite a few returners who have seen success as Nelson and Emma Garner were both named to the All-SoCon First Team while Anna Long and Mary Grace Strozier were named to the Second Team at least year's SoCon Championships. Nelson was also named Runner of the Year for the 2016 season along with '16-'17 SoCon Female Athlete of The Year.
Â
On the men's side, All-SoCon First-Team athlete Guillorel will be returning along with All-SoCon Second Team performer Ben Bryant and All-SoCon Freshman Team member Dillon Dean.
Â
For the fourth straight year, the Furman men's and women's cross country teams were selected as the preseason favorites to take the SoCon titles, as voted by all 10 of the league's coaches. The Paladins are the four-time reigning SoCon champions on both the men's and women's sides and earned the maximum possible first-place votes in both polls. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.
Â
In the men's poll, Samford received 69 points to place second, while ETSU followed closely behind with 65 points and the remaining first-place vote for the third spot. VMI checks in fourth with 59 points, followed by Chattanooga with 45 points and Wofford with 38. Western Carolina (35), UNCG (26), The Citadel (21) and Mercer (11) round out slots 7-10, respectively.
Â
Samford was voted second in the women's poll with 72 points, followed by ETSU, who received 63 votes and the remaining first-place vote. Chattanooga is slotted fourth with 55 points, while Wofford placed fifth with 46 points. Rounding out the poll on the women's side are UNCG (41), Western Carolina (33), VMI (31), Mercer (19) and The Citadel (9).
Â
The opening USTFCCCA rankings on the women's side have the Bulldogs just cracking the top 10 with a No. 9 ranking in the South Region just behind Florida (8) Lipscomb (7) and in state rival Alabama (4) while Georgia Tech rounds out the top 10. Â On the men's side of the USTFCCA South region rankings The Bulldogs come in at No. 6 just behind Alabama (4) and Florida State (5) while teams such as Florida (8) Tennessee (10) and ETSU (14) are ranked behind the 'Dogs
Â
Samford's 2017 schedule will include meets at Louisville, Ky and Tuscaloosa, Ala while the conference meet will be held in Spartanburg, S.C.
Â
For quick score updates, breaking news and links to all of your favorite articles featuring the Bulldogs, please follow @SamfordTrack and @Samford_Sports on Twitter.
Â
 2017 Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll
Â
 1. Furman(9), 81
 2. Samford, 69
 3. ETSU(1), 65
 4. VMI, 59
 5. Chattanooga, 45
 6. Wofford, 38
 7. Western Carolina, 35
 8. UNCG, 26
 9. The Citadel, 21
 10. Mercer, 11
Â
2017 Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
Â
 1. Furman (9), 81
 2. Samford, 72
 3. ETSU (1), 63
 4. Chattanooga, 55
 5. Wofford, 46
 6. UNCG, 41
 7. Western Carolina, 33
 8. VMI, 31
 9. Mercer, 19
 10. The Citadel, 9
Â
() denotes first-place votes
Â
Â
Â
--- SAMFORD BULLDOGS ---
Â
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
Thursday, September 24
Thursday, September 24
Thursday, September 24
Tuesday, September 22
