Southeast cross country teams picked high in OVC

The Southeast Missouri State cross country squads have been picked to finish among the top five in the 12-team Ohio Valley Conference.

Southeast's men were tabbed fourth and the women fifth in Wednesday's OVC preseason poll voted on by the league's coaches.

Southeast's men placed third at last year's OVC Championships, marking their sixth straight top-four finish at the meet. Southeast's women were fifth.

"Being picked fourth on the men's side and fifth on the women's side gives us the opportunity to prove that we are better than that," Southeast coach Ryan Lane said in a release. "Being the underdog will push us to work harder and be ready for the OVC Championships at the end of the season."

Perennial power Eastern Kentucky is the overwhelming favorite in both the men's and women's divisions. The men claimed their 21st OVC championship and seventh straight last year while the women took home their 26th OVC title.

Both Eastern Kentucky units garnered 11 of 12 first-place votes (coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams). Eastern Illinois' men and Belmont's women were picked second with the remaining first-place vote.

Belmont was picked third on the men's side, followed by Southeast, Morehead State, SIUE, Jacksonville State, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee-Martin, Austin Peay, Murray State and Tennessee State. 

Eastern Illinois' women were tabbed third, followed by Murray State, Southeast, Morehead State, Austin Peay, SIUE, Jacksonville State, Tennessee-Martin, Tennessee Tech and Tennessee State.

Southeast opens the season Aug. 31 at the Big River Running Early Bird meet hosted by Washington University in St. Louis.